Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2023-52859 is a high-severity use after 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 0e1e88bba286621b886218363de07b319d6208b2, b660420f449d094b1fabfa504889810b3a63cdd5, 3405f364f82d4f5407a8b4c519dc15d24b847fda 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 0e1e88bba286621b886218363de07b319d6208b2 or b660420f449d094b1fabfa504889810b3a63cdd5 or 3405f364f82d4f5407a8b4c519dc15d24b847fda or 75bab28ffd05ec8879c197890b1bd1dfec8d3f63, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.139 or 6.1.63 or 6.5.12 or 6.6.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 3bf30882c3c7b6e376d9d6d04082c9aa2d2ac30a up to, but not including, 0e1e88bba286621b886218363de07b319d6208b2; 3bf30882c3c7b6e376d9d6d04082c9aa2d2ac30a up to, but not including, b660420f449d094b1fabfa504889810b3a63cdd5; 3bf30882c3c7b6e376d9d6d04082c9aa2d2ac30a up to, but not including, 3405f364f82d4f5407a8b4c519dc15d24b847fda; 3bf30882c3c7b6e376d9d6d04082c9aa2d2ac30a up to, but not including, 75bab28ffd05ec8879c197890b1bd1dfec8d3f63; 3bf30882c3c7b6e376d9d6d04082c9aa2d2ac30a up to, but not including, b805cafc604bfdb671fae7347a57f51154afa735; 5.13 | 0e1e88bba286621b886218363de07b319d6208b2, b660420f449d094b1fabfa504889810b3a63cdd5, 3405f364f82d4f5407a8b4c519dc15d24b847fda, 75bab28ffd05ec8879c197890b1bd1dfec8d3f63, b805cafc604bfdb671fae7347a57f51154afa735 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.13 up to, but not including, 5.15.139; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.63; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.5.12; 6.6 up to, but not including, 6.6.2 | 5.15.139, 6.1.63, 6.5.12, 6.6.2 |
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: perf: hisi: Fix use-after-free when register pmu fails When we fail to register the uncore pmu, the pmu context may not been allocated. The error handing will call cpuhp_state_remove_instance() to call uncore pmu offline callback, which migrate the pmu context. Since that's liable to lead to some kind of use-after-free. Use cpuhp_state_remove_instance_nocalls() instead of cpuhp_state_remove_instance() so that the notifiers don't execute after the PMU device has been failed to register.
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/0e1e88bba286621b886218363de07b319d6208b2
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3405f364f82d4f5407a8b4c519dc15d24b847fda
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/75bab28ffd05ec8879c197890b1bd1dfec8d3f63
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b660420f449d094b1fabfa504889810b3a63cdd5
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b805cafc604bfdb671fae7347a57f51154afa735
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
- 8.8 High severity
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