CVE-2023-53657 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ice: Don't tx before switchdev is fully configured
There is possibility that ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit might be called while some resources are still not allocated which might cause NULL pointer dereference. Fix this by checking if switchdev configuration was finished.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-53657 resides within the Linux kernel's implementation of the Intel Ethernet driver, specifically affecting the ice driver module responsible for managing Intel Ethernet network adapters. This issue manifests in the context of switchdev functionality which enables hardware offloading capabilities for network switching operations. The problem occurs during the network packet transmission process when the driver attempts to handle traffic before all required switchdev resources have been properly initialized and allocated. The underlying technical flaw represents a classic race condition scenario where the transmit function ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit is invoked prematurely, before the switchdev subsystem has completed its configuration process. This premature invocation creates a situation where the driver attempts to access memory locations that have not yet been properly allocated, leading to a NULL pointer dereference condition that can cause system instability and potential kernel crashes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes to encompass broader network reliability issues within systems utilizing Intel Ethernet hardware with switchdev capabilities. When the NULL pointer dereference occurs during packet transmission, it can result in complete network interface failure, forcing administrators to restart network services or reboot entire systems to restore connectivity. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in production environments where network availability is critical, as it can lead to unexpected downtime and service disruption. The issue affects systems running Linux kernels with the ice driver and switchdev functionality enabled, making it relevant to data centers, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise network environments that rely on hardware offloading for performance optimization. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-476_NULL_pointer_dereference vulnerability, while from an ATT&CK perspective it could be categorized under T1499.004_Indicator_Reporting and potentially T1566.002_Phishing_Web-based, as it could be exploited to cause denial of service conditions that might mask other malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-53657 involve applying the kernel patch that implements proper resource validation before allowing packet transmission to proceed. The fix ensures that the ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit function performs a comprehensive check to verify that switchdev configuration has been fully completed before attempting to process transmissions. System administrators should prioritize updating their kernel versions to include the patched ice driver implementation, with particular attention to enterprise environments where multiple network interfaces may be affected. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual network interface behavior that might indicate the occurrence of this vulnerability before a full crash occurs. The patch implementation addresses the root cause by introducing proper synchronization mechanisms that prevent premature access to uninitialized resources, thereby eliminating the NULL pointer dereference condition. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and redundancy measures to minimize the impact of potential service disruptions caused by this vulnerability, while maintaining regular kernel update schedules to ensure protection against similar future vulnerabilities in the switchdev subsystem.