7.8
CWE
416 611
EPSS
0.014%
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2023-53021: net/sched: sch_taprio: fix possible use-after-free

First published: Thu Mar 27 2025(Updated: )

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: sch_taprio: fix possible use-after-free syzbot reported a nasty crash [1] in net_tx_action() which made little sense until we got a repro. This repro installs a taprio qdisc, but providing an invalid TCA_RATE attribute. qdisc_create() has to destroy the just initialized taprio qdisc, and taprio_destroy() is called. However, the hrtimer used by taprio had already fired, therefore advance_sched() called __netif_schedule(). Then net_tx_action was trying to use a destroyed qdisc. We can not undo the __netif_schedule(), so we must wait until one cpu serviced the qdisc before we can proceed. Many thanks to Alexander Potapenko for his help. [1] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in queued_spin_trylock include/asm-generic/qspinlock.h:94 [inline] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in do_raw_spin_trylock include/linux/spinlock.h:191 [inline] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in __raw_spin_trylock include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:89 [inline] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in _raw_spin_trylock+0x92/0xa0 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:138 queued_spin_trylock include/asm-generic/qspinlock.h:94 [inline] do_raw_spin_trylock include/linux/spinlock.h:191 [inline] __raw_spin_trylock include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:89 [inline] _raw_spin_trylock+0x92/0xa0 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:138 spin_trylock include/linux/spinlock.h:359 [inline] qdisc_run_begin include/net/sch_generic.h:187 [inline] qdisc_run+0xee/0x540 include/net/pkt_sched.h:125 net_tx_action+0x77c/0x9a0 net/core/dev.c:5086 __do_softirq+0x1cc/0x7fb kernel/softirq.c:571 run_ksoftirqd+0x2c/0x50 kernel/softirq.c:934 smpboot_thread_fn+0x554/0x9f0 kernel/smpboot.c:164 kthread+0x31b/0x430 kernel/kthread.c:376 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 Uninit was created at: slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slab.h:732 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:3258 [inline] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x814/0x1250 mm/slub.c:4970 kmalloc_reserve net/core/skbuff.c:358 [inline] __alloc_skb+0x346/0xcf0 net/core/skbuff.c:430 alloc_skb include/linux/skbuff.h:1257 [inline] nlmsg_new include/net/netlink.h:953 [inline] netlink_ack+0x5f3/0x12b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2436 netlink_rcv_skb+0x55d/0x6c0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2507 rtnetlink_rcv+0x30/0x40 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6108 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 [inline] netlink_unicast+0xf3b/0x1270 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1345 netlink_sendmsg+0x1288/0x1440 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1921 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:714 [inline] sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:734 [inline] ____sys_sendmsg+0xabc/0xe90 net/socket.c:2482 ___sys_sendmsg+0x2a1/0x3f0 net/socket.c:2536 __sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2565 [inline] __do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2574 [inline] __se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2572 [inline] __x64_sys_sendmsg+0x367/0x540 net/socket.c:2572 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x3d/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd CPU: 0 PID: 13 Comm: ksoftirqd/0 Not tainted 6.0.0-rc2-syzkaller-47461-gac3859c02d7f #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 07/22/2022

Credit: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
Linux Kernel
Linux Kernel>=4.20<5.4.231
Linux Kernel>=5.5<5.10.166
Linux Kernel>=5.11<5.15.91
Linux Kernel>=5.16<6.1.9
Linux Kernel=6.2-rc1
Linux Kernel=6.2-rc2
Linux Kernel=6.2-rc3
Linux Kernel=6.2-rc4

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2023-53021?

    CVE-2023-53021 is classified as a high-severity vulnerability due to the possible use-after-free condition in the Linux kernel.

  • How do I fix CVE-2023-53021?

    To fix CVE-2023-53021, users should upgrade to the patched version of the Linux kernel that addresses this vulnerability.

  • Which versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2023-53021?

    CVE-2023-53021 affects specific versions of the Linux kernel where the sch_taprio component has not been updated.

  • What type of attack can CVE-2023-53021 enable?

    CVE-2023-53021 can potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or crash the system via a crafted network packet.

  • Is CVE-2023-53021 being actively exploited?

    As of now, there are no public reports confirming active exploitation of CVE-2023-53021, but it remains a significant risk if not patched.

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