CVE-2023-53138: net: caif: Fix use-after-free in cfusbl_device_notify()
First published: Fri May 02 2025(Updated: )
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: caif: Fix use-after-free in cfusbl_device_notify() syzbot reported use-after-free in cfusbl_device_notify() [1]. This causes a stack trace like below: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in cfusbl_device_notify+0x7c9/0x870 net/caif/caif_usb.c:138 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88807ac4e6f0 by task kworker/u4:6/1214 CPU: 0 PID: 1214 Comm: kworker/u4:6 Not tainted 5.19.0-rc3-syzkaller-00146-g92f20ff72066 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 01/01/2011 Workqueue: netns cleanup_net Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0xcd/0x134 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description.constprop.0.cold+0xeb/0x467 mm/kasan/report.c:313 print_report mm/kasan/report.c:429 [inline] kasan_report.cold+0xf4/0x1c6 mm/kasan/report.c:491 cfusbl_device_notify+0x7c9/0x870 net/caif/caif_usb.c:138 notifier_call_chain+0xb5/0x200 kernel/notifier.c:87 call_netdevice_notifiers_info+0xb5/0x130 net/core/dev.c:1945 call_netdevice_notifiers_extack net/core/dev.c:1983 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers net/core/dev.c:1997 [inline] netdev_wait_allrefs_any net/core/dev.c:10227 [inline] netdev_run_todo+0xbc0/0x10f0 net/core/dev.c:10341 default_device_exit_batch+0x44e/0x590 net/core/dev.c:11334 ops_exit_list+0x125/0x170 net/core/net_namespace.c:167 cleanup_net+0x4ea/0xb00 net/core/net_namespace.c:594 process_one_work+0x996/0x1610 kernel/workqueue.c:2289 worker_thread+0x665/0x1080 kernel/workqueue.c:2436 kthread+0x2e9/0x3a0 kernel/kthread.c:376 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:302 </TASK> When unregistering a net device, unregister_netdevice_many_notify() sets the device's reg_state to NETREG_UNREGISTERING, calls notifiers with NETDEV_UNREGISTER, and adds the device to the todo list. Later on, devices in the todo list are processed by netdev_run_todo(). netdev_run_todo() waits devices' reference count become 1 while rebdoadcasting NETDEV_UNREGISTER notification. When cfusbl_device_notify() is called with NETDEV_UNREGISTER multiple times, the parent device might be freed. This could cause UAF. Processing NETDEV_UNREGISTER multiple times also causes inbalance of reference count for the module. This patch fixes the issue by accepting only first NETDEV_UNREGISTER notification.
Credit: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
| Affected Software | Affected Version | How to fix |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Kernel |
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Reference Links
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/68a45c3cf0e2242a533657f4f535d9b6a7447a79
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1793da97a23e31c5bf06631f3f3e5a25f368fd64
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9dc16be373b382ddd4c274052a6e870a95e76c01
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3aaec463a632cf4187dc017e421bfa69d7834a9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f14457e1584224f4296af613bbd99deb60b5d91
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/287027d8a567168a5d8ce5cb0cba16a34791a48c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1a11bbdbb5ea9f172019c5a4a3e9d8eabd72179
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9781e98a97110f5e76999058368b4be76a788484
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2023-53138?
CVE-2023-53138 is classified as a high-severity vulnerability due to its potential to cause use-after-free issues in the Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53138?
To fix CVE-2023-53138, update to the latest stable version of the Linux kernel that has patched this vulnerability.
Which software versions are affected by CVE-2023-53138?
CVE-2023-53138 affects various versions of the Linux kernel that include the caif subsystem.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-53138?
CVE-2023-53138 is a use-after-free vulnerability that occurs in the cfusbl_device_notify function within the Linux kernel.
Can CVE-2023-53138 lead to system crashes?
Yes, CVE-2023-53138 can lead to system instability and crashes due to the nature of use-after-free vulnerabilities.
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