CVE-2023-4010 is a vulnerability identified in the USB Host Controller Driver framework within the Linux kernel used by Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6. The flaw resides in the usb_giveback_urb function, which is responsible for handling USB Request Blocks (URBs) completion. Due to an improper judgment condition related to a goto statement, the function can enter an infinite loop when it processes a specific malformed USB descriptor file. This malformed input causes the function never to reach its exit condition, leading to an endless loop. The consequence of this infinite loop is a denial of service (DoS) as the system’s CPU resources are consumed indefinitely, potentially causing system unresponsiveness or crashes. The vulnerability does not require privileges or user interaction, but it does require local access to connect a malicious USB device or present a malformed descriptor. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.6, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to the limited attack vector (local physical or logical USB access) and the impact being restricted to availability. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches were explicitly linked in the provided data, though Red Hat typically issues updates for such vulnerabilities. This issue is particularly relevant for environments still running the legacy RHEL 6, which has reached end of life but may still be in use in some sectors.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-4010 is a denial of service condition that can disrupt operations by causing affected systems to become unresponsive or crash. This can be particularly damaging in critical infrastructure, industrial control systems, or government environments where RHEL 6 is still deployed and USB devices are used. The vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity but can lead to operational downtime and potential loss of availability of critical services. Organizations relying on legacy systems without active patching or migration plans are at higher risk. The requirement for local USB access limits remote exploitation but insider threats or physical access attacks remain a concern. The disruption could affect service continuity, incident response, and operational technology environments that depend on stable Linux systems.

1. Apply official patches or updates from Red Hat if available; if no patch is provided, consider upgrading to a supported RHEL version (e.g., RHEL 7 or later) that does not contain this vulnerability. 2. Restrict or disable USB device access on critical systems, especially those running RHEL 6, to prevent connection of potentially malicious USB devices. 3. Implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized personnel from connecting USB devices to sensitive systems. 4. Use USB device whitelisting or endpoint security solutions that monitor and control USB device usage. 5. Monitor system logs and kernel messages for unusual USB-related activity that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. 6. Consider network segmentation and isolation of legacy systems to limit the impact of potential DoS conditions. 7. Develop incident response plans that include recovery procedures for DoS caused by USB device exploitation.