CVE-2023-53638 (GCVE-0-2023-53638)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-10-07 15:19 – Updated: 2026-08-05 09:15
VLAI
Title
octeon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: octeon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path If it fails to get the devices's MAC address, octep_probe exits while leaving the delayed work intr_poll_task queued. When the work later runs, it's a use after free. Move the cancelation of intr_poll_task from octep_remove into octep_device_cleanup. This does not change anything in the octep_remove flow, but octep_device_cleanup is called also in the octep_probe error path, where the cancelation is needed. Note that the cancelation of ctrl_mbox_task has to follow intr_poll_task's, because the ctrl_mbox_task may be queued by intr_poll_task.
Severity
7 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: 24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387 , < 62312e2f6466b5f0a120542a38b410d88a34ed00 (git)
Affected: 24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387 , < 758c91078165ae641b698750a72eafe7968b3756 (git)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Linux Linux Affected: 6.4
Unaffected: 0 , < 6.4 (semver)
Unaffected: 6.4.12 , ≤ 6.4.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.5 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "62312e2f6466b5f0a120542a38b410d88a34ed00",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "758c91078165ae641b698750a72eafe7968b3756",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.4"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.4",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.4.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.4.12",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.5",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.4.12",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.4",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.5",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.4",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nocteon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path\n\nIf it fails to get the devices\u0027s MAC address, octep_probe exits while\nleaving the delayed work intr_poll_task queued. When the work later\nruns, it\u0027s a use after free.\n\nMove the cancelation of intr_poll_task from octep_remove into\noctep_device_cleanup. This does not change anything in the octep_remove\nflow, but octep_device_cleanup is called also in the octep_probe error\npath, where the cancelation is needed.\n\nNote that the cancelation of ctrl_mbox_task has to follow\nintr_poll_task\u0027s, because the ctrl_mbox_task may be queued by\nintr_poll_task."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The vulnerable code is the PCI probe path of the octeon_ep driver, reached via local device enumeration, hotplug, module load, or sysfs bind/unbind on the host. No remote network protocol handling is involved.\nAC:H - Exploitation requires `octep_probe()` to fail after the poll work is queued \u2014 i.e. the Octeon endpoint firmware must fail to answer the MAC-address mailbox request within the 500 ms timeout (or register_netdev must fail), a device/firmware state an attacker on the host cannot reliably force. Turning the resulting UAF into more than an oops additionally requires reclaiming the freed netdev allocation within the ~50 ms work delay.\nPR:L - The UAF fires from a workqueue with no host credentials needed once probe fails, and the probe can be re-triggered through driver bind/unbind; a low-privileged attacker suffices to be present when the freed object is reclaimed, so PR is not raised to High.\nUI:N - The delayed work fires automatically 50 ms after the probe error path frees the device; no victim action is required beyond the normal device probe that happens at boot or hotplug.\nS:U - Both the vulnerable code and the corrupted memory are in the host kernel, so the impact stays within a single security authority; no VM, IOMMU, or sandbox boundary is crossed.\nC:H - The work handler reads `oct-\u003epoll_non_ioq_intr` and the `hw_ops` function-pointer table out of freed slab memory; controlling the reclaiming allocation gives an attacker a read primitive over kernel heap contents and leaks kernel state.\nI:H - `queue_delayed_work()` and `queue_work()` write into the freed work/timer structures, and `oct-\u003ehw_ops.poll_non_ioq_interrupts(oct)` is an indirect call through a function pointer read from freed memory \u2014 a direct control-flow hijack primitive once the allocation is sprayed.\nA:H - Even unexploited, the work dereferences freed memory and accesses already-iounmap\u0027ed MMIO, reliably producing a kernel oops/panic (this is the crash the fix was written for)."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T09:15:16.890Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62312e2f6466b5f0a120542a38b410d88a34ed00"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/758c91078165ae641b698750a72eafe7968b3756"
        }
      ],
      "title": "octeon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2023-53638",
    "datePublished": "2025-10-07T15:19:38.989Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-10-07T15:16:59.658Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T09:15:16.890Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2023-53638",
      "date": "2026-09-21",
      "epss": "0.00139",
      "percentile": "0.03632"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "62312e2f6466b5f0a120542a38b410d88a34ed00",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "758c91078165ae641b698750a72eafe7968b3756",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "24d4333233b378114106a1327d3d635a004f4387",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "defaultStatus": "affected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.4"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.4",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "6.4.*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "6.4.12",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "6.5",
                    "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
          }
        ],
        "configurations": [
          {
            "nodes": [
              {
                "cpeMatch": [
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "03930E62-D711-4E00-A788-FFDE0D27F98C",
                    "versionEndExcluding": "6.4.12",
                    "versionStartIncluding": "6.4",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "0B3E6E4D-E24E-4630-B00C-8C9901C597B0",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "E4A01A71-0F09-4DB2-A02F-7EFFBE27C98D",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "F5608371-157A-4318-8A2E-4104C3467EA1",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "2226A776-DF8C-49E0-A030-0A7853BB018A",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "6F15C659-DF06-455A-9765-0E6DE920F29A",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "5B1C14ED-ABC4-41D3-8D9C-D38C6A65B4DE",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  }
                ],
                "negate": false,
                "operator": "OR"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nocteon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path\n\nIf it fails to get the devices\u0027s MAC address, octep_probe exits while\nleaving the delayed work intr_poll_task queued. When the work later\nruns, it\u0027s a use after free.\n\nMove the cancelation of intr_poll_task from octep_remove into\noctep_device_cleanup. This does not change anything in the octep_remove\nflow, but octep_device_cleanup is called also in the octep_probe error\npath, where the cancelation is needed.\n\nNote that the cancelation of ctrl_mbox_task has to follow\nintr_poll_task\u0027s, because the ctrl_mbox_task may be queued by\nintr_poll_task."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2023-53638",
        "lastModified": "2026-08-04T10:19:15.800",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 7.0,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.0,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
              "type": "Secondary"
            },
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 7.8,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.8,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
              "type": "Primary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2025-10-07T16:15:47.017",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "tags": [
              "Patch"
            ],
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62312e2f6466b5f0a120542a38b410d88a34ed00"
          },
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "tags": [
              "Patch"
            ],
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/758c91078165ae641b698750a72eafe7968b3756"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "vulnStatus": "Modified",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-416"
              }
            ],
            "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-04T19:17:15+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2023-53638",
      "id": "CVE-2023-53638",
      "initial_release_date": "2023-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "108",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "166",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: octeon_ep: cancel queued works in probe error path",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2023/cve-2023-53638.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.





Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.


Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.