bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 fixed, 3 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: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign The semantics for bpf_sk_assign are as follows: sk = some_lookup_func() bpf_sk_assign(skb, sk) bpf_sk_release(sk) That is, the sk is not consumed by bpf_sk_assign. The function therefore needs to make sure that sk lives long enough to be consumed from __inet_lookup_skb. The path through the stack for a TCPv4 packet is roughly: netif_receive_skb_core: takes RCU read lock __netif_receive_skb_core: sch_handle_ingress: tcf_classify: bpf_sk_assign() deliver_ptype_list_skb: deliver_skb: ip_packet_type->func == ip_rcv: ip_rcv_core: ip_rcv_finish_core: dst_input: ip_local_deliver: ip_local_deliver_finish: ip_protocol_deliver_rcu: tcp_v4_rcv: __inet_lookup_skb: skb_steal_sock The existing helper takes advantage of the fact that everything happens in the same RCU critical section: for sockets with SOCK_RCU_FREE set bpf_sk_assign never takes a reference. skb_steal_sock then checks SOCK_RCU_FREE again and does sock_put if necessary. This approach assumes that SOCK_RCU_FREE is never set on a sk between bpf_sk_assign and skb_steal_sock, but this invariant is violated by unhashed UDP sockets. A new UDP socket is created in TCP_CLOSE state but without SOCK_RCU_FREE set. That flag is only added in udp_lib_get_port() which happens when a socket is bound. When bpf_sk_assign was added it wasn't possible to access unhashed UDP sockets from BPF, so this wasn't a problem. This changed in commit 0c48eefae712 ("sock_map: Lift socket state restriction for datagram sockets"), but the helper wasn't adjusted accordingly. The following sequence of events will therefore lead to a refcount leak: 1. Add socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM) to a sockmap. 2. Pull socket out of sockmap and bpf_sk_assign it. Since SOCK_RCU_FREE is not set we increment the refcount. 3. bind() or connect() the socket, setting SOCK_RCU_FREE. 4. skb_steal_sock will now set refcounted = false due to SOCK_RCU_FREE. 5. tcp_v4_rcv() skips sock_put(). Fix the problem by rejecting unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign(). This matches the behaviour of __inet_lookup_skb which is ultimately the goal of bpf_sk_assign().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.7 and later | 5.10.195, 5.15.132, 6.1.53, 6.4.16, 6.5.3, 6.6 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.7 and later Fixed in 5.10.195, 5.15.132, 6.1.53, 6.4.16, 6.5.3, 6.6 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.7 to before 5.10.195; 5.11 to before 5.15.132; 5.16 to before 6.1.53; 6.2 to before 6.4.16; 6.5 to before 6.5.3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.7 to before 5.10.195; 5.11 to before 5.15.132; 5.16 to before 6.1.53; 6.2 to before 6.4.16; 6.5 to before 6.5.3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.195, 5.15.132, 6.1.53, 6.4.16, 6.5.3, 6.6
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2024:2394 Released 2024-04-30 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.3.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 +29
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, libperf-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 +9
- RHSA-2020:4431 Released 2020-11-04 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-240.el8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-240.el8, kernel-4.18.0-240.el8, kernel-abi-whitelists-4.18.0-240.el8 +19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4431 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:2394 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4431 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:2394 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:2394 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:2394 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:2394 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-53585
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-39wr-crm4-gxmv
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/791a12102e5191dcb6ce0b3a99d71b5a2802d12a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7dcbc0bb0e5cc1823923744befce59ac353135e6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0ce0fb76610d5fad31f56f2ca8241a2a6717a1b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8aa43cfbb68b25119d2ced14ec717173e2901fa2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3d4522f59fb748a54446846522941a4f09da63e9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/67312adc96b5a585970d03b62412847afe2c6b01
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Sources
- CVE-2023-53585 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-53585 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-39wr-crm4-gxmv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-53585 · 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