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CVE-2023-53358NVD status: Modified

Linux: Use After Free

CVE-2023-53358 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 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 b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8, bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6, dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6 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 0.38% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8 or bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6 or dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6 or 39366b47a59d46af15ac57beb0996268bf911f6a, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.145 or 6.1.28 or 6.2.15 or 6.3.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux0626e6641f6b467447c81dd7678a69c66f7746cf up to, but not including, b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8; 0626e6641f6b467447c81dd7678a69c66f7746cf up to, but not including, bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6; 0626e6641f6b467447c81dd7678a69c66f7746cf up to, but not including, dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6; 0626e6641f6b467447c81dd7678a69c66f7746cf up to, but not including, 39366b47a59d46af15ac57beb0996268bf911f6a; 0626e6641f6b467447c81dd7678a69c66f7746cf up to, but not including, 30210947a343b6b3ca13adc9bfc88e1543e16dd5; 5.15b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8, bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6, dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6, 39366b47a59d46af15ac57beb0996268bf911f6a, 30210947a343b6b3ca13adc9bfc88e1543e16dd5
LinuxLinux Kernel5.15 up to, but not including, 5.15.145; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.28; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.2.15; 6.3 up to, but not including, 6.3.25.15.145, 6.1.28, 6.2.15, 6.3.2

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
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
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:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.0HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.0HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix racy issue under cocurrent smb2 tree disconnect There is UAF issue under cocurrent smb2 tree disconnect. This patch introduce TREE_CONN_EXPIRE flags for tcon to avoid cocurrent access.

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.

More Use After Free vulnerabilities (CWE-416)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities

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