Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2023-52798 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions f882f51905517575c9f793a3dff567af90ef9a10, 426e718ce9ba60013364a54233feee309356cb82, ca420ac4f9451f22347bae44b18ab47ba2c267ec 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 1.03% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 64% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to f882f51905517575c9f793a3dff567af90ef9a10 or 426e718ce9ba60013364a54233feee309356cb82 or ca420ac4f9451f22347bae44b18ab47ba2c267ec or 1fd878e1750190a612b5de2af357cca422ec0822, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.202 or 5.15.140 or 6.1.64 or 6.5.13, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, f882f51905517575c9f793a3dff567af90ef9a10; d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, 426e718ce9ba60013364a54233feee309356cb82; d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, ca420ac4f9451f22347bae44b18ab47ba2c267ec; d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, 1fd878e1750190a612b5de2af357cca422ec0822; d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, 21ebb0aba580d347e12f01ce5f6e75044427b3d5; d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d up to, but not including, 3b6c14833165f689cc5928574ebafe52bbce5f1e; 5.6 | f882f51905517575c9f793a3dff567af90ef9a10, 426e718ce9ba60013364a54233feee309356cb82, ca420ac4f9451f22347bae44b18ab47ba2c267ec, 1fd878e1750190a612b5de2af357cca422ec0822, 21ebb0aba580d347e12f01ce5f6e75044427b3d5, 3b6c14833165f689cc5928574ebafe52bbce5f1e |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.6 up to, but not including, 5.10.202; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.140; 5.16 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 | 5.10.202, 5.15.140, 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
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- 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:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: fix dfs radar event locking The ath11k active pdevs are protected by RCU but the DFS radar event handling code calling ath11k_mac_get_ar_by_pdev_id() was not marked as a read-side critical section. Mark the code in question as an RCU read-side critical section to avoid any potential use-after-free issues. Compile tested only.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fd878e1750190a612b5de2af357cca422ec0822
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/21ebb0aba580d347e12f01ce5f6e75044427b3d5
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b6c14833165f689cc5928574ebafe52bbce5f1e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/426e718ce9ba60013364a54233feee309356cb82
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca420ac4f9451f22347bae44b18ab47ba2c267ec
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f882f51905517575c9f793a3dff567af90ef9a10
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 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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