CVE-2023-53107: Vulnerability in Linux Linux
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: veth: Fix use after free in XDP_REDIRECT Commit 718a18a0c8a6 ("veth: Rework veth_xdp_rcv_skb in order to accept non-linear skb") introduced a bug where it tried to use pskb_expand_head() if the headroom was less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM. This however uses kmalloc to expand the head, which will later allow consume_skb() to free the skb while is it still in use by AF_XDP. Previously if the headroom was less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM we continued on to allocate a new skb from pages so this restores that behavior. BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 Read of size 78 at addr ffff888976250154 by task napi/iconduit-g/148640 CPU: 5 PID: 148640 Comm: napi/iconduit-g Kdump: loaded Tainted: G O 6.1.4-cloudflare-kasan-2023.1.2 #1 Hardware name: Quanta Computer Inc. QuantaPlex T41S-2U/S2S-MB, BIOS S2S_3B10.03 06/21/2018 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x34/0x48 print_report+0x170/0x473 ? __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 kasan_report+0xad/0x130 ? __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 kasan_check_range+0x149/0x1a0 memcpy+0x20/0x60 __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 __xsk_map_redirect+0x1f3/0x490 ? veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x89c/0x1ba0 [veth] xdp_do_redirect+0x5ca/0xd60 veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x935/0x1ba0 [veth] ? __netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x671/0x920 ? veth_xdp+0x670/0x670 [veth] veth_xdp_rcv+0x304/0xa20 [veth] ? do_xdp_generic+0x150/0x150 ? veth_xdp_rcv_one+0xde0/0xde0 [veth] ? _raw_spin_lock_bh+0xe0/0xe0 ? newidle_balance+0x887/0xe30 ? __perf_event_task_sched_in+0xdb/0x800 veth_poll+0x139/0x571 [veth] ? veth_xdp_rcv+0xa20/0xa20 [veth] ? _raw_spin_unlock+0x39/0x70 ? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x17e/0x7d0 ? __switch_to+0x5cf/0x1070 ? __schedule+0x95b/0x2640 ? io_schedule_timeout+0x160/0x160 __napi_poll+0xa1/0x440 napi_threaded_poll+0x3d1/0x460 ? __napi_poll+0x440/0x440 ? __kthread_parkme+0xc6/0x1f0 ? __napi_poll+0x440/0x440 kthread+0x2a2/0x340 ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 </TASK> Freed by task 148640: kasan_save_stack+0x23/0x50 kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x2a/0x40 ____kasan_slab_free+0x169/0x1d0 slab_free_freelist_hook+0xd2/0x190 __kmem_cache_free+0x1a1/0x2f0 skb_release_data+0x449/0x600 consume_skb+0x9f/0x1c0 veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x89c/0x1ba0 [veth] veth_xdp_rcv+0x304/0xa20 [veth] veth_poll+0x139/0x571 [veth] __napi_poll+0xa1/0x440 napi_threaded_poll+0x3d1/0x460 kthread+0x2a2/0x340 ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff888976250000 which belongs to the cache kmalloc-2k of size 2048 The buggy address is located 340 bytes inside of 2048-byte region [ffff888976250000, ffff888976250800) The buggy address belongs to the physical page: page:00000000ae18262a refcount:2 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000000000000 index:0x0 pfn:0x976250 head:00000000ae18262a order:3 compound_mapcount:0 compound_pincount:0 flags: 0x2ffff800010200(slab|head|node=0|zone=2|lastcpupid=0x1ffff) raw: 002ffff800010200 0000000000000000 dead000000000122 ffff88810004cf00 raw: 0000000000000000 0000000080080008 00000002ffffffff 0000000000000000 page dumped because: kasan: bad access detected Memory state around the buggy address: ffff888976250000: fa fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ffff888976250080: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb > ffff888976250100: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ^ ffff888976250180: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ffff888976250200: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2023-53107 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's veth (virtual Ethernet) driver, specifically in the XDP_REDIRECT functionality. The vulnerability was introduced by a commit (718a18a0c8a6) that reworked the veth_xdp_rcv_skb function to accept non-linear skbs (socket buffers). The bug arises when the function attempts to expand the skb headroom using pskb_expand_head() if the headroom is less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM. This expansion uses kmalloc to allocate memory, which later allows consume_skb() to free the skb while it is still in use by AF_XDP, leading to a use-after-free condition. Previously, if the headroom was insufficient, the code allocated a new skb from pages, avoiding this issue. The vulnerability can cause kernel memory corruption, leading to potential system crashes or arbitrary code execution within the kernel context. The detailed kernel stack trace and KASAN (Kernel Address Sanitizer) reports confirm the use-after-free and memory corruption. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions containing the specified commit and is related to the handling of XDP (eXpress Data Path) and AF_XDP sockets, which are used for high-performance packet processing. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on Linux-based infrastructure that utilizes virtual networking interfaces and XDP for high-performance networking, such as cloud providers, telecom operators, and data centers. Exploitation could lead to kernel crashes (denial of service) or potentially privilege escalation if an attacker can execute arbitrary code in kernel space. This could disrupt critical services, impact availability, and compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data processed on affected systems. Organizations using containerized environments or virtualized networking setups that leverage veth interfaces are particularly at risk. Given the widespread use of Linux in European enterprise and government sectors, the vulnerability could affect a broad range of systems if left unpatched.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate patching: Apply the official Linux kernel patches that revert or fix the problematic commit (718a18a0c8a6) to restore safe skb headroom handling. Monitor Linux kernel mailing lists and vendor advisories for updated stable kernel releases addressing this issue. 2. Kernel version management: Avoid deploying kernel versions containing the vulnerable commit in production environments until patched. 3. Network interface configuration: Where possible, disable or restrict the use of AF_XDP and XDP_REDIRECT features on veth interfaces if not required, reducing the attack surface. 4. Use kernel hardening features: Enable Kernel Address Sanitizer (KASAN) and other runtime memory safety tools in testing environments to detect similar issues early. 5. Monitoring and logging: Enhance kernel and network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior or crashes related to veth interfaces. 6. Vendor coordination: For organizations using commercial Linux distributions, coordinate with vendors for timely security updates and backports. 7. Segmentation and isolation: Isolate critical systems and limit network exposure of vulnerable interfaces to reduce exploitation risk.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, Poland
CVE-2023-53107: Vulnerability in Linux Linux
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: veth: Fix use after free in XDP_REDIRECT Commit 718a18a0c8a6 ("veth: Rework veth_xdp_rcv_skb in order to accept non-linear skb") introduced a bug where it tried to use pskb_expand_head() if the headroom was less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM. This however uses kmalloc to expand the head, which will later allow consume_skb() to free the skb while is it still in use by AF_XDP. Previously if the headroom was less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM we continued on to allocate a new skb from pages so this restores that behavior. BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 Read of size 78 at addr ffff888976250154 by task napi/iconduit-g/148640 CPU: 5 PID: 148640 Comm: napi/iconduit-g Kdump: loaded Tainted: G O 6.1.4-cloudflare-kasan-2023.1.2 #1 Hardware name: Quanta Computer Inc. QuantaPlex T41S-2U/S2S-MB, BIOS S2S_3B10.03 06/21/2018 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x34/0x48 print_report+0x170/0x473 ? __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 kasan_report+0xad/0x130 ? __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 kasan_check_range+0x149/0x1a0 memcpy+0x20/0x60 __xsk_rcv+0x18d/0x2c0 __xsk_map_redirect+0x1f3/0x490 ? veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x89c/0x1ba0 [veth] xdp_do_redirect+0x5ca/0xd60 veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x935/0x1ba0 [veth] ? __netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x671/0x920 ? veth_xdp+0x670/0x670 [veth] veth_xdp_rcv+0x304/0xa20 [veth] ? do_xdp_generic+0x150/0x150 ? veth_xdp_rcv_one+0xde0/0xde0 [veth] ? _raw_spin_lock_bh+0xe0/0xe0 ? newidle_balance+0x887/0xe30 ? __perf_event_task_sched_in+0xdb/0x800 veth_poll+0x139/0x571 [veth] ? veth_xdp_rcv+0xa20/0xa20 [veth] ? _raw_spin_unlock+0x39/0x70 ? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x17e/0x7d0 ? __switch_to+0x5cf/0x1070 ? __schedule+0x95b/0x2640 ? io_schedule_timeout+0x160/0x160 __napi_poll+0xa1/0x440 napi_threaded_poll+0x3d1/0x460 ? __napi_poll+0x440/0x440 ? __kthread_parkme+0xc6/0x1f0 ? __napi_poll+0x440/0x440 kthread+0x2a2/0x340 ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 </TASK> Freed by task 148640: kasan_save_stack+0x23/0x50 kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x2a/0x40 ____kasan_slab_free+0x169/0x1d0 slab_free_freelist_hook+0xd2/0x190 __kmem_cache_free+0x1a1/0x2f0 skb_release_data+0x449/0x600 consume_skb+0x9f/0x1c0 veth_xdp_rcv_skb+0x89c/0x1ba0 [veth] veth_xdp_rcv+0x304/0xa20 [veth] veth_poll+0x139/0x571 [veth] __napi_poll+0xa1/0x440 napi_threaded_poll+0x3d1/0x460 kthread+0x2a2/0x340 ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff888976250000 which belongs to the cache kmalloc-2k of size 2048 The buggy address is located 340 bytes inside of 2048-byte region [ffff888976250000, ffff888976250800) The buggy address belongs to the physical page: page:00000000ae18262a refcount:2 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000000000000 index:0x0 pfn:0x976250 head:00000000ae18262a order:3 compound_mapcount:0 compound_pincount:0 flags: 0x2ffff800010200(slab|head|node=0|zone=2|lastcpupid=0x1ffff) raw: 002ffff800010200 0000000000000000 dead000000000122 ffff88810004cf00 raw: 0000000000000000 0000000080080008 00000002ffffffff 0000000000000000 page dumped because: kasan: bad access detected Memory state around the buggy address: ffff888976250000: fa fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ffff888976250080: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb > ffff888976250100: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ^ ffff888976250180: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb ffff888976250200: fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb fb
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2023-53107 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's veth (virtual Ethernet) driver, specifically in the XDP_REDIRECT functionality. The vulnerability was introduced by a commit (718a18a0c8a6) that reworked the veth_xdp_rcv_skb function to accept non-linear skbs (socket buffers). The bug arises when the function attempts to expand the skb headroom using pskb_expand_head() if the headroom is less than XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM. This expansion uses kmalloc to allocate memory, which later allows consume_skb() to free the skb while it is still in use by AF_XDP, leading to a use-after-free condition. Previously, if the headroom was insufficient, the code allocated a new skb from pages, avoiding this issue. The vulnerability can cause kernel memory corruption, leading to potential system crashes or arbitrary code execution within the kernel context. The detailed kernel stack trace and KASAN (Kernel Address Sanitizer) reports confirm the use-after-free and memory corruption. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions containing the specified commit and is related to the handling of XDP (eXpress Data Path) and AF_XDP sockets, which are used for high-performance packet processing. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on Linux-based infrastructure that utilizes virtual networking interfaces and XDP for high-performance networking, such as cloud providers, telecom operators, and data centers. Exploitation could lead to kernel crashes (denial of service) or potentially privilege escalation if an attacker can execute arbitrary code in kernel space. This could disrupt critical services, impact availability, and compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data processed on affected systems. Organizations using containerized environments or virtualized networking setups that leverage veth interfaces are particularly at risk. Given the widespread use of Linux in European enterprise and government sectors, the vulnerability could affect a broad range of systems if left unpatched.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate patching: Apply the official Linux kernel patches that revert or fix the problematic commit (718a18a0c8a6) to restore safe skb headroom handling. Monitor Linux kernel mailing lists and vendor advisories for updated stable kernel releases addressing this issue. 2. Kernel version management: Avoid deploying kernel versions containing the vulnerable commit in production environments until patched. 3. Network interface configuration: Where possible, disable or restrict the use of AF_XDP and XDP_REDIRECT features on veth interfaces if not required, reducing the attack surface. 4. Use kernel hardening features: Enable Kernel Address Sanitizer (KASAN) and other runtime memory safety tools in testing environments to detect similar issues early. 5. Monitoring and logging: Enhance kernel and network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior or crashes related to veth interfaces. 6. Vendor coordination: For organizations using commercial Linux distributions, coordinate with vendors for timely security updates and backports. 7. Segmentation and isolation: Isolate critical systems and limit network exposure of vulnerable interfaces to reduce exploitation risk.
Affected Countries
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- Linux
- Date Reserved
- 2025-05-02T15:51:43.553Z
- Cisa Enriched
- false
- Cvss Version
- null
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 682d9830c4522896dcbe6ffc
Added to database: 5/21/2025, 9:09:04 AM
Last enriched: 7/1/2025, 4:25:56 AM
Last updated: 8/5/2025, 10:51:09 AM
Views: 16
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