Linux Kernel up to 6.1.54/6.5.4 ice ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.54/6.5.4. Affected is the function ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit of the component ice. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2023-53657. There is no available exploit. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.54/6.5.4. Affected by this issue is the function ice_eswitch_port_start_xmit of the component ice. 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: 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.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-53657 since 10/07/2025. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.1.55 or 6.5.5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5760a72b3060150b587eff3e879648c7470efddd/63ff5a94649837d980e3b9ef535c793ec8cb0ca7/7aa529a69e92b9aff585e569d5003f7c15d8d60b 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 EUVD (EUVD-2025-31977) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2229). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 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
• 6.1.44
• 6.1.45
• 6.1.46
• 6.1.47
• 6.1.48
• 6.1.49
• 6.1.50
• 6.1.51
• 6.1.52
• 6.1.53
• 6.1.54
• 6.5.0
• 6.5.1
• 6.5.2
• 6.5.3
• 6.5.4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Exploitinginfo

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Entryinfo

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

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