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TI-2023-29329 Aliases CVE-2023-53024GHSA-mqh3-5x68-9v64

bpf: Fix pointer-leak due to insufficient speculative store bypass mitigation

Priority LOW 31Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix pointer-leak due to insufficient speculative store bypass mitigation To mitigate Spectre v4, 2039f26f3aca ("bpf: Fix leakage due to insufficient speculative store bypass mitigation") inserts lfence instructions after 1) initializing a stack slot and 2) spilling a pointer to the stack. However, this does not cover cases where a stack slot is first initialized with a pointer (subject to sanitization) but then overwritten with a scalar (not subject to sanitization because the slot was already initialized). In this case, the second write may be subject to speculative store bypass (SSB) creating a speculative pointer-as-scalar type confusion. This allows the program to subsequently leak the numerical pointer value using, for example, a branch-based cache side channel. To fix this, also sanitize scalars if they write a stack slot that previously contained a pointer. Assuming that pointer-spills are only generated by LLVM on register-pressure, the performance impact on most real-world BPF programs should be small. The following unprivileged BPF bytecode drafts a minimal exploit and the mitigation: [...] // r6 = 0 or 1 (skalar, unknown user input) // r7 = accessible ptr for side channel // r10 = frame pointer (fp), to be leaked // r9 = r10 # fp alias to encourage ssb *(u64 *)(r9 - 8) = r10 // fp[-8] = ptr, to be leaked // lfence added here because of pointer spill to stack. // // Ommitted: Dummy bpf_ringbuf_output() here to train alias predictor // for no r9-r10 dependency. // *(u64 *)(r10 - 8) = r6 // fp[-8] = scalar, overwrites ptr // 2039f26f3aca: no lfence added because stack slot was not STACK_INVALID, // store may be subject to SSB // // fix: also add an lfence when the slot contained a ptr // r8 = *(u64 *)(r9 - 8) // r8 = architecturally a scalar, speculatively a ptr // // leak ptr using branch-based cache side channel: r8 &= 1 // choose bit to leak if r8 == 0 goto SLOW // no mispredict // architecturally dead code if input r6 is 0, // only executes speculatively iff ptr bit is 1 r8 = *(u64 *)(r7 + 0) # encode bit in cache (0: slow, 1: fast) SLOW: [...] After running this, the program can time the access to *(r7 + 0) to determine whether the chosen pointer bit was 0 or 1. Repeat this 64 times to recover the whole address on amd64. In summary, sanitization can only be skipped if one scalar is overwritten with another scalar. Scalar-confusion due to speculative store bypass can not lead to invalid accesses because the pointer bounds deducted during verification are enforced using branchless logic. See 979d63d50c0c ("bpf: prevent out of bounds speculation on pointer arithmetic") for details. Do not make the mitigation depend on !env->allow_{uninit_stack,ptr_leaks} because speculative leaks are likely unexpected if these were enabled. For example, leaking the address to a protected log file may be acceptable while disabling the mitigation might unintentionally leak the address into the cached-state of a map that is accessible to unprivileged processes.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00206 10th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166 +4Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux4.19.207 to before 4.19.272; 5.4.146 to before 5.4.231; 5.10.56 to before 5.10.166; 5.13.8 to before 5.144.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.14Patch availableCNA
LinuxLinux5.14 and later4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.15.91, 6.1.9, 6.2Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.19.207 to before 4.19.272; 5.4.146 to before 5.4.231; 5.10.56 to before 5.10.166; 5.13.8 to before 5.14 Fixed in 4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.14 Patch available CNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.14 and later Fixed in 4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.15.91, 6.1.9, 6.2 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 10

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*4.19.207 to before 4.19.272; 5.4.146 to before 5.4.231; 5.10.56 to before 5.10.166; 5.13.8 to before 5.14; 5.14.1 to before 5.15.91; 5.16 to before 6.1.9VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14 rc4VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14 rc5VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14 rc6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14 rc7VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*6.2 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*6.2 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.2 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.2 rc4VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.19.207 to before 4.19.272; 5.4.146 to before 5.4.231; 5.10.56 to before 5.10.166; 5.13.8 to before 5.14; 5.14.1 to before 5.15.91; 5.16 to before 6.1.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.14
  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.19.272, 5.4.231, 5.10.166, 5.15.91, 6.1.9, 6.2

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2023:6583 Released 2023-11-07 · Red Hat rating Important
    kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
    • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, libperf-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.2.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +29
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet
Not affected: 3 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-53024
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mqh3-5x68-9v64
  3. 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
See all 15278 →

Sources