netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier This reverts "netfilter: nf_tables: skip netdev events generated on netns removal". The problem is that when a veth device is released, the veth release callback will also queue the peer netns device for removal. Its possible that the peer netns is also slated for removal. In this case, the device memory is already released before the pre_exit hook of the peer netns runs: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in nf_hook_entry_head+0x1b8/0x1d0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88812c0124f0 by task kworker/u8:1/45 Workqueue: netns cleanup_net Call Trace: nf_hook_entry_head+0x1b8/0x1d0 __nf_unregister_net_hook+0x76/0x510 nft_netdev_unregister_hooks+0xa0/0x220 __nft_release_hook+0x184/0x490 nf_tables_pre_exit_net+0x12f/0x1b0 .. Order is: 1. First netns is released, veth_dellink() queues peer netns device for removal 2. peer netns is queued for removal 3. peer netns device is released, unreg event is triggered 4. unreg event is ignored because netns is going down 5. pre_exit hook calls nft_netdev_unregister_hooks but device memory might be free'd already.
Why it matters now
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
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.113, 6.1.30, 6.3.4, 6.4
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2023:6583 Released 2023-11-07 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel 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 →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-54200
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jgcg-mpfg-g663
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
More Linux vulnerabilities
- 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-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel 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
Sources
- CVE-2023-54200 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-54200 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jgcg-mpfg-g663 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-54200 · 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