Linux Kernel up to 6.2.7 i40e i40e_init_recovery_mode null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 5.4.237/5.10.175/5.15.103/6.1.20/6.2.7. The affected element is the function i40e_init_recovery_mode of the component i40e. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2023-53114. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.4.237/5.10.175/5.15.103/6.1.20/6.2.7. Affected by this issue is the function i40e_init_recovery_mode of the component i40e. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i40e: Fix kernel crash during reboot when adapter is in recovery mode If the driver detects during probe that firmware is in recovery mode then i40e_init_recovery_mode() is called and the rest of probe function is skipped including pci_set_drvdata(). Subsequent i40e_shutdown() called during shutdown/reboot dereferences NULL pointer as pci_get_drvdata() returns NULL. To fix call pci_set_drvdata() also during entering to recovery mode. Reproducer: 1) Lets have i40e NIC with firmware in recovery mode 2) Run reboot Result: [ 139.084698] i40e: Intel(R) Ethernet Connection XL710 Network Driver [ 139.090959] i40e: Copyright (c) 2013 - 2019 Intel Corporation. [ 139.108438] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.116439] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.129499] i40e 0000:02:00.0: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.215932] i40e 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0f0: renamed from eth0 [ 139.223292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.231292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.244406] i40e 0000:02:00.1: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.329209] i40e 0000:02:00.1 enp2s0f1: renamed from eth0 ... [ 156.311376] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000006c2 [ 156.318330] #PF: supervisor write access in kernel mode [ 156.323546] #PF: error_code(0x0002) - not-present page [ 156.328679] PGD 0 P4D 0 [ 156.331210] Oops: 0002 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI [ 156.335567] CPU: 26 PID: 15119 Comm: reboot Tainted: G E 6.2.0+ #1 [ 156.343126] Hardware name: Abacus electric, s.r.o. - [email protected] Super Server/H12SSW-iN, BIOS 2.4 04/13/2022 [ 156.353369] RIP: 0010:i40e_shutdown+0x15/0x130 [i40e] [ 156.358430] Code: c1 fc ff ff 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 f3 0f 1e fa 0f 1f 44 00 00 55 48 89 fd 53 48 8b 9f 48 01 00 00 <f0> 80 8b c2 06 00 00 04 f0 80 8b c0 06 00 00 08 48 8d bb 08 08 00 [ 156.377168] RSP: 0018:ffffb223c8447d90 EFLAGS: 00010282 [ 156.382384] RAX: ffffffffc073ee70 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000001 [ 156.389510] RDX: 0000000080000001 RSI: 0000000000000246 RDI: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.396634] RBP: ffff95db49988000 R08: ffffffffffffffff R09: ffffffff8bd17d40 [ 156.403759] R10: 0000000000000001 R11: ffffffff8a5e3d28 R12: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.410882] R13: ffffffff89a6fe17 R14: ffff95db49988150 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 156.418007] FS: 00007fe7c0cc3980(0000) GS:ffff95ea8ee80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 156.426083] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 156.431819] CR2: 00000000000006c2 CR3: 00000003092fc005 CR4: 0000000000770ee0 [ 156.438944] PKRU: 55555554 [ 156.441647] Call Trace: [ 156.444096] <TASK> [ 156.446199] pci_device_shutdown+0x38/0x60 [ 156.450297] device_shutdown+0x163/0x210 [ 156.454215] kernel_restart+0x12/0x70 [ 156.457872] __do_sys_reboot+0x1ab/0x230 [ 156.461789] ? vfs_writev+0xa6/0x1a0 [ 156.465362] ? __pfx_file_free_rcu+0x10/0x10 [ 156.469635] ? __call_rcu_common.constprop.85+0x109/0x5a0 [ 156.475034] do_syscall_64+0x3e/0x90 [ 156.478611] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc [ 156.483658] RIP: 0033:0x7fe7bff37ab7

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-53114 since 05/02/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 240793 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:01983-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.4.238, 5.10.176, 5.15.104, 6.1.21 or 6.2.8 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6e18f66b704bd725196508c1db93bf7338cdc8de/3cbecb1c9085a00155639404f7addbcbfc987ba3/4ff82695266576a0b4f1077a7100b2451e476df4/c703362a66ea971905b9dc153fc54d1b6ac05423/b3826fb3ea14646b3d4e6309bfc384b349f36eb6/7e4f8a0c495413a50413e8c9f1032ce1bc633bae is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (240793) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0932). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Avamar
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.4.237
• 5.10.175
• 5.15.103
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.2.0
• 6.2.1
• 6.2.2
• 6.2.3
• 6.2.4
• 6.2.5
• 6.2.6
• 6.2.7

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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Entryinfo

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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