CVE-2023-53198 is classified as a medium-severity vulnerability found in the Linux kernel. This vulnerability allows for a NULL dereference in the function raw_get_next(). The issue arises when multiple threads are executing sequences in parallel, causing one thread to iterate on a socket that is being freed by another thread in a different network namespace. This can lead to a general protection fault.
The vulnerability is rated with a CVSS score of 5.5, indicating a medium severity level. This score reflects a local attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, and no user interaction required for exploitation. The availability impact is rated as high, which underscores the importance of addressing this issue promptly.
Currently, there are no known exploits associated with this vulnerability in the wild. However, organizations should assess their risk exposure, as the potential for exploitation exists given the nature of the vulnerability. Urgency for remediation is assessed as medium, necessitating inclusion in the priority patch cycle to mitigate risks.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to remediate this vulnerability and prevent any potential disruption.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability detailed in CVE-2023-53198 involves a NULL dereference in the raw_get_next() function of the Linux kernel. The issue was reported by Dae R. Jeong, where the repro was found to be running sequences in parallel, allowing one thread to iterate on a socket that was freed by another thread. The commit addressing this vulnerability can be found in the Linux kernel source.
This vulnerability is characterized as a privilege escalation type as it allows local attackers with low privileges to exploit the system. The CVSS score of 5.5 indicates a medium severity classification, suggesting that while this vulnerability is not critical, it poses significant risks to system availability.
The affected product is the Linux kernel, specifically versions ranging from 5.18.18 to 5.19, and from 5.19.2 to 6.1.24, along with specific release candidates of version 6.3. The vulnerability is cataloged under CWE-476, which pertains to NULL Pointer Dereference.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of socket resources in the Linux kernel. Specifically, the transition to using RCU (Read-Copy-Update) for managing raw sockets introduced a scenario where a socket might be freed while still being iterated over by another thread, leading to a NULL dereference.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, meaning it can only be exploited by users with access to the system. The attack complexity is considered low, as it does not require sophisticated techniques or tools to exploit. The privileges required for exploitation are low, allowing any user with minimal access to potentially trigger the vulnerability.
User interaction is not required, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without any action from the user. The implications of this vulnerability are concerning, particularly regarding availability, as exploitation could lead to system crashes or degraded performance.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world risk associated with CVE-2023-53198 is significant, particularly for systems utilizing raw sockets in multi-threaded environments. Organizations that deploy the Linux kernel with the affected versions are at risk of experiencing service interruptions or crashes if the vulnerability is exploited. The potential blast radius includes any service leveraging raw sockets, affecting both system stability and service availability.
Given the CVSS score of 5.5, organizations should assess the urgency of their remediation efforts. This vulnerability is not classified as critical but should be addressed in the priority patch cycle to mitigate any potential risks of exploitation in the wild.
Organizations should monitor their systems for any signs of abnormal behavior related to this vulnerability and prioritize the application of available patches as soon as possible.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions of the Linux kernel include:
1. All versions from 5.18.18 to 5.19 (exclusive) 2. All versions from 5.19.2 to 6.1.24 (exclusive) 3. Specific release candidates of version 6.3 (rc1 to rc5)
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply the patches released by the Linux kernel maintainers to mitigate this vulnerability. The following patches have been released:
Patch information can be found in the kernel's git repository.
In addition to patching, organizations should consider implementing configuration hardening measures to increase the security of their systems, including restricting access to raw sockets and monitoring for anomalous behaviors that may indicate exploitation attempts.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor the following indicators:
1. Log indicators related to socket management and access. 2. Behavioral anomalies in processes utilizing raw sockets. 3. Network signatures that may indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. 4. Changes to system configurations or unexpected system crashes.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2023-53198 lies in its reflection of ongoing challenges in kernel development, particularly regarding resource management in multi-threaded environments. Security teams should take this incident as a reminder of the importance of rigorous testing and validation when implementing changes that affect resource handling in the kernel.
This vulnerability represents a pattern of vulnerabilities related to resource management and concurrency, highlighting the need for enhanced scrutiny in these areas during development.
Organizations are encouraged to adopt a proactive stance on security by establishing a comprehensive security testing framework, including regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to uncover and address similar weaknesses.
For effective remediation and security posture enhancement, organizations should consider leveraging application security assessments and other security services to ensure robust defenses against emerging threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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