CVE-2023-52924: netfilter: nf_tables: don't skip expired elements during walk

Published Feb 5, 2025
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nftables: don't skip expired elements during walk

There is an asymmetry between commit/abort and preparation phase if the following conditions are met:

1. set is a verdict map ("1.2.3.4 : jump foo") 2. timeouts are enabled

In this case, following sequence is problematic:

1. element E in set S refers to chain C 2. userspace requests removal of set S 3. kernel does a set walk to decrement chain->use count for all elements from preparation phase 4. kernel does another set walk to remove elements from the commit phase (or another walk to do a chain->use increment for all elements from abort phase)

If E has already expired in 1), it will be ignored during list walk, so its use count won't have been changed.

Then, when set is culled, ->destroy callback will zap the element via nftablessetelemdestroy(), but this function is only safe for elements that have been deactivated earlier from the preparation phase: lack of earlier deactivate removes the element but leaks the chain use count, which results in a WARN splat when the chain gets removed later, plus a leak of the nftchain structure.

Update pipapoget() not to skip expired elements, otherwise flush command reports bogus ENOENT errors.

Affected Software

12 affected components
Linux Kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=4.1<4.19.316
Linux Linux kernel>=4.20<5.4.262
Linux Linux kernel>=5.5<5.10.198
Linux Linux kernel>=5.11<5.15.134
Linux Linux kernel>=5.16<6.1.56
Linux Linux kernel>=6.2<6.4.11
Linux Linux kernel=6.5-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.5-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.5-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=6.5-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=6.5-rc5

Event History

Feb 5, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:07 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:07 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·10:01 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2023-52924?

CVE-2023-52924 is classified as a medium severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel.

2

How does CVE-2023-52924 affect Linux kernel users?

CVE-2023-52924 may lead to unexpected behavior in network filtering due to improper handling of verdict maps.

3

How do I fix CVE-2023-52924?

To fix CVE-2023-52924, update your Linux kernel to the latest available version that contains the patch.

4

Are there any specific versions of the Linux kernel affected by CVE-2023-52924?

CVE-2023-52924 affects various versions of the Linux kernel prior to the release that includes the fix.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2023-52924?

There are no official workarounds for CVE-2023-52924; upgrading the kernel is the recommended solution.

Contact

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