Linux Kernel up to 6.4.6 iavf netif_napi_add use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.4.250/5.10.187/5.15.122/6.1.41/6.4.6. Affected is the function netif_napi_add of the component iavf. Executing a manipulation can lead to use after free. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-53556. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.4.250/5.10.187/5.15.122/6.1.41/6.4.6. This vulnerability affects the function netif_napi_add of the component iavf. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iavf: Fix use-after-free in free_netdev We do netif_napi_add() for all allocated q_vectors[], but potentially do netif_napi_del() for part of them, then kfree q_vectors and leave invalid pointers at dev->napi_list. Reproducer: [root@host ~]# cat repro.sh #!/bin/bash pf_dbsf="0000:41:00.0" vf0_dbsf="0000:41:02.0" g_pids=() function do_set_numvf() { echo 2 >/sys/bus/pci/devices/${pf_dbsf}/sriov_numvfs sleep $((RANDOM%3+1)) echo 0 >/sys/bus/pci/devices/${pf_dbsf}/sriov_numvfs sleep $((RANDOM%3+1)) } function do_set_channel() { local nic=$(ls -1 --indicator-style=none /sys/bus/pci/devices/${vf0_dbsf}/net/) [ -z "$nic" ] && { sleep $((RANDOM%3)) ; return 1; } ifconfig $nic 192.168.18.5 netmask 255.255.255.0 ifconfig $nic up ethtool -L $nic combined 1 ethtool -L $nic combined 4 sleep $((RANDOM%3)) } function on_exit() { local pid for pid in "${g_pids[@]}"; do kill -0 "$pid" &>/dev/null && kill "$pid" &>/dev/null done g_pids=() } trap "on_exit; exit" EXIT while :; do do_set_numvf ; done & g_pids+=($!) while :; do do_set_channel ; done & g_pids+=($!) wait Result: [ 4093.900222] ================================================================== [ 4093.900230] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900232] Read of size 8 at addr ffff88b4dc145640 by task repro.sh/6699 [ 4093.900233] [ 4093.900236] CPU: 10 PID: 6699 Comm: repro.sh Kdump: loaded Tainted: G O --------- -t - 4.18.0 #1 [ 4093.900238] Hardware name: Powerleader PR2008AL/H12DSi-N6, BIOS 2.0 04/09/2021 [ 4093.900239] Call Trace: [ 4093.900244] dump_stack+0x71/0xab [ 4093.900249] print_address_description+0x6b/0x290 [ 4093.900251] ? free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900252] kasan_report+0x14a/0x2b0 [ 4093.900254] free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900261] iavf_remove+0x825/0xd20 [iavf] [ 4093.900265] pci_device_remove+0xa8/0x1f0 [ 4093.900268] device_release_driver_internal+0x1c6/0x460 [ 4093.900271] pci_stop_bus_device+0x101/0x150 [ 4093.900273] pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device+0xe/0x20 [ 4093.900275] pci_iov_remove_virtfn+0x187/0x420 [ 4093.900277] ? pci_iov_add_virtfn+0xe10/0xe10 [ 4093.900278] ? pci_get_subsys+0x90/0x90 [ 4093.900280] sriov_disable+0xed/0x3e0 [ 4093.900282] ? bus_find_device+0x12d/0x1a0 [ 4093.900290] i40e_free_vfs+0x754/0x1210 [i40e] [ 4093.900298] ? i40e_reset_all_vfs+0x880/0x880 [i40e] [ 4093.900299] ? pci_get_device+0x7c/0x90 [ 4093.900300] ? pci_get_subsys+0x90/0x90 [ 4093.900306] ? pci_vfs_assigned.part.7+0x144/0x210 [ 4093.900309] ? __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x10/0x10 [ 4093.900315] i40e_pci_sriov_configure+0x1fa/0x2e0 [i40e] [ 4093.900318] sriov_numvfs_store+0x214/0x290 [ 4093.900320] ? sriov_totalvfs_show+0x30/0x30 [ 4093.900321] ? __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x10/0x10 [ 4093.900323] ? __check_object_size+0x15a/0x350 [ 4093.900326] kernfs_fop_write+0x280/0x3f0 [ 4093.900329] vfs_write+0x145/0x440 [ 4093.900330] ksys_write+0xab/0x160 [ 4093.900332] ? __ia32_sys_read+0xb0/0xb0 [ 4093.900334] ? fput_many+0x1a/0x120 [ 4093.900335] ? filp_close+0xf0/0x130 [ 4093.900338] do_syscall_64+0xa0/0x370 [ 4093.900339] ? page_fault+0x8/0x30 [ 4093.900341] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x65/0xca [ 4093.900357] RIP: 0033:0x7f16ad4d22c0 [ 4093.900359] Code: 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d d8 cb 2c 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 83 c8 ff c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 83 3d 89 24 2d 00 00 75 10 b8 01 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 31 c3 48 83 ec 08 e8 fe dd 01 00 48 89 04 24 [ 4093.900360] RSP: 002b:00007ffd6491b7f8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000001 [ 4093.900362] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 00007f16ad4d22c0 [ 4093.900363] RDX: 0000000000000002 RSI: 0000000001a41408 RDI: 0000000000000001 [ 4093.900364] RBP: 0000000001a41408 R08: 00007f16ad7a1780 R09: 00007f16ae1f2700 [ 4093.9003 ---truncated---

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2023-53556 since 10/04/2025. The exploitation appears to be easy. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 03/02/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 276910 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4189-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.4.251, 5.10.188, 5.15.123, 6.1.42 or 6.4.7 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3/a4635f190f332304db4a49e827ece790b804b5db/345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866/ca12b98e04b5d1902ac08fe826d3500cb4b6e891/8d781a9c53034813c3194b7d94409c7d24ac73eb/5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6b 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 (276910), EUVD (EUVD-2023-60052) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2194). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

  • Google Container-Optimized OS
  • Debian Linux
  • Google Cloud Platform
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

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Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.7

VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 276910
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4189-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.4.251/5.10.188/5.15.123/6.1.42/6.4.7
Patch: 17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3/a4635f190f332304db4a49e827ece790b804b5db/345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866/ca12b98e04b5d1902ac08fe826d3500cb4b6e891/8d781a9c53034813c3194b7d94409c7d24ac73eb/5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6b

Timelineinfo

10/04/2025 Advisory disclosed
10/04/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
10/04/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/02/2026 +148 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-53556 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-53556
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-327106
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2194 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/04/2025 18:06
Updated: 03/02/2026 00:27
Changes: 10/04/2025 18:06 (59), 10/05/2025 02:54 (1), 11/23/2025 19:04 (7), 11/27/2025 21:01 (2), 12/26/2025 12:23 (1), 02/12/2026 17:04 (12), 03/02/2026 00:27 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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