Kernel: nvme: memory corruption via unprivileged user passthrough
Priority LOW 31CWE-120Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-120 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
A buffer overflow vulnerability was found in the NVM Express (NVMe) driver in the Linux kernel. Only privileged user could specify a small meta buffer and let the device perform larger Direct Memory Access (DMA) into the same buffer, overwriting unrelated kernel memory, causing random kernel crashes and memory corruption.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0029 21st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | kernel | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — | Not affected | CNA |
| Fedora | Fedora | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- kernel Vendor— Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA
- Fedora VendorFedora Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 38 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 38 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-6238
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-2j83-334m-g9w4
References
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- TI-2018-16080 A code execution vulnerability exists in the Stapler web framework used by Jenkins 2.153… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2023-6238 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-6238 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-2j83-334m-g9w4 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-6238 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences