CVE-2023-53638
BaseFortify
Publication date: 2025-10-07
Last updated on: 2026-02-03
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.5 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-416 | 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 Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can lead to a use-after-free condition in the Linux kernel, which may cause system instability, crashes, or potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, depending on the exploitation scenario.
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability occurs in the Linux kernel's octeon_ep driver. If the driver fails to obtain the device's MAC address during probing, it exits while leaving a delayed work item (intr_poll_task) still queued. When this work later executes, it results in a use-after-free condition because the associated resources have already been freed. The fix involves moving the cancellation of this delayed work to a cleanup function that is called even in the error path, preventing the use-after-free.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, update the Linux kernel to a version where the octeon_ep driver includes the fix that moves the cancellation of intr_poll_task into octep_device_cleanup, ensuring proper cleanup in the probe error path. This prevents the use-after-free condition. There are no other specific mitigation steps provided.