Linux: Double Free
CVE-2023-52795 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions c0f8b8fb7df9d1a38652eb5aa817afccd3c56111, ae8ea4e200675a940c365b496ef8e3fb4123601c, bf04132cd64ccde4e9e9765d489c83fe83c09b7f as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to c0f8b8fb7df9d1a38652eb5aa817afccd3c56111 or ae8ea4e200675a940c365b496ef8e3fb4123601c or bf04132cd64ccde4e9e9765d489c83fe83c09b7f or e07754e0a1ea2d63fb29574253d1fd7405607343, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.64 or 6.5.13 or 6.6.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ebe6a354fa7e0a7d5b581da31ad031b19d8693f9 up to, but not including, c0f8b8fb7df9d1a38652eb5aa817afccd3c56111; ebe6a354fa7e0a7d5b581da31ad031b19d8693f9 up to, but not including, ae8ea4e200675a940c365b496ef8e3fb4123601c; ebe6a354fa7e0a7d5b581da31ad031b19d8693f9 up to, but not including, bf04132cd64ccde4e9e9765d489c83fe83c09b7f; ebe6a354fa7e0a7d5b581da31ad031b19d8693f9 up to, but not including, e07754e0a1ea2d63fb29574253d1fd7405607343; 6.0 | c0f8b8fb7df9d1a38652eb5aa817afccd3c56111, ae8ea4e200675a940c365b496ef8e3fb4123601c, bf04132cd64ccde4e9e9765d489c83fe83c09b7f, e07754e0a1ea2d63fb29574253d1fd7405607343 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.64; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.5.13; 6.6 up to, but not including, 6.6.3; 6.7 | 6.1.64, 6.5.13, 6.6.3 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vhost-vdpa: fix use after free in vhost_vdpa_probe() The put_device() calls vhost_vdpa_release_dev() which calls ida_simple_remove() and frees "v". So this call to ida_simple_remove() is a use after free and a double free.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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