Linux Kernel up to 6.4.8 netback xenvif_get_requests buffer overflow

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 6.4.8. This vulnerability affects the function xenvif_get_requests of the component netback. Such manipulation leads to buffer overflow. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2023-53502. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.4.8 and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is the function xenvif_get_requests of the component netback. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a buffer overflow vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-120. The product copies an input buffer to an output buffer without verifying that the size of the input buffer is less than the size of the output buffer, leading to a buffer overflow. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen/netback: Fix buffer overrun triggered by unusual packet It is possible that a guest can send a packet that contains a head + 18 slots and yet has a len <= XEN_NETBACK_TX_COPY_LEN. This causes nr_slots to underflow in xenvif_get_requests() which then causes the subsequent loop's termination condition to be wrong, causing a buffer overrun of queue->tx_map_ops. Rework the code to account for the extra frag_overflow slots. This is CVE-2023-34319 / XSA-432.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-53502 since 10/01/2025. The exploitation is known to be easy. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (estimation calculated on 11/28/2025).

Upgrading to version 4.14.321, 4.19.290, 5.4.252, 5.10.189, 5.15.125, 6.1.44 or 6.4.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch e1142d87c185c7d7bbf05d175754638b5b9dbf16/11e6919ae028b5de1fc48007354ea07069561b31/bc7b9a6c2ca42b116b0f24dbaa52b5a07d96d1d6/f9167a2d6b943f30743de6ff8163d1981c34f9a9/b14a3924c2675c22e07a5a190223b6b6cdc2867d/fa5b932b77c815d0e416612859d5899424bb4212/cf482893f721f76ac60c0a43482a59b2f194156b/534fc31d09b706a16d83533e16b5dc855caf7576 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 vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2187). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.14.320
• 4.19.289
• 5.4.251
• 5.10.188
• 5.15.124
• 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
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.1.39
• 6.1.40
• 6.1.41
• 6.1.42
• 6.1.43
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3
• 6.4.4
• 6.4.5
• 6.4.6
• 6.4.7
• 6.4.8

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion