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CVE-2023-4387: Use After Free in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

High
VulnerabilityCVE-2023-4387cvecve-2023-4387
Published: Wed Aug 16 2023 (08/16/2023, 18:49:10 UTC)
Source: CVE Database V5
Vendor/Project: Red Hat
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Description

A use-after-free flaw was found in vmxnet3_rq_alloc_rx_buf in drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c in VMware's vmxnet3 ethernet NIC driver in the Linux Kernel. This issue could allow a local attacker to crash the system due to a double-free while cleaning up vmxnet3_rq_cleanup_all, which could also lead to a kernel information leak problem.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/03/2025, 18:25:15 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-4387 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability identified in the vmxnet3 network driver within the Linux kernel, specifically affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. The flaw exists in the vmxnet3_rq_alloc_rx_buf function of the vmxnet3 driver, which is responsible for managing receive buffers for the VMware vmxnet3 virtual Ethernet NIC. The vulnerability arises due to improper memory management during the cleanup process in vmxnet3_rq_cleanup_all, leading to a double-free condition. This double-free can cause the system to crash (denial of service) and may also result in a kernel information leak. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges (local attacker with low privileges) and does not require user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.1, reflecting high severity, with a high impact on confidentiality and availability but no impact on integrity. The flaw is exploitable locally, meaning an attacker must have some level of access to the system to trigger the vulnerability. Exploitation could allow an attacker to cause a kernel panic or crash, disrupting system availability, and potentially leak sensitive kernel memory information, which could be leveraged for further attacks. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the presence of a double-free and information leak in a kernel driver is concerning due to the potential for privilege escalation or further exploitation. The vulnerability specifically affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 systems running the vulnerable vmxnet3 driver, which is commonly used in VMware virtualized environments.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-4387 can be significant, especially for those relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 in VMware virtualized environments. The vulnerability could lead to system crashes causing denial of service, impacting critical infrastructure, enterprise applications, and services hosted on affected systems. The kernel information leak could expose sensitive data that might aid attackers in escalating privileges or crafting more sophisticated attacks. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, which often use Red Hat Enterprise Linux and VMware virtualization, could face operational disruptions and potential data exposure. The local attack vector limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Given the widespread use of Red Hat Enterprise Linux in European data centers and cloud environments, the vulnerability poses a risk to service availability and data confidentiality if not promptly addressed.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate CVE-2023-4387, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest security patches and kernel updates provided by Red Hat as soon as they become available to address the vulnerability in the vmxnet3 driver. 2) Restrict local access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, enforcing strict access controls and monitoring to prevent unauthorized local exploitation. 3) Employ kernel hardening techniques such as Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and Kernel Page Table Isolation (KPTI) to reduce the risk of information leaks. 4) Monitor system logs and network activity for unusual crashes or behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Use virtualization security best practices, including isolating critical workloads and limiting the number of users with local access to virtual machines. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focusing on local privilege escalation and kernel vulnerabilities. 7) Educate system administrators and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure rapid detection and response.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
redhat
Date Reserved
2023-08-16T17:27:25.909Z
Cvss Version
3.1
State
PUBLISHED

Threat ID: 683ee1eb182aa0cae273966a

Added to database: 6/3/2025, 11:52:11 AM

Last enriched: 7/3/2025, 6:25:15 PM

Last updated: 7/27/2025, 12:47:02 AM

Views: 12

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