CVE-2023-52515 – This is a use-after-free vulnerability in the L... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-52515?

CVE-2023-52515 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). This is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's RDMA/srp subsystem. When the SCSI abort handler is called, improper cleanup can trigger memory corruption, potentially leading to system crashes or arbitrary code execution. Systems using RDMA over InfiniBand or RoCE with the srp initiator driver are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's RDMA/srp subsystem. When the SCSI abort handler is called, improper cleanup can trigger memory corruption, potentially leading to system crashes or arbitrary code execution. Systems using RDMA over InfiniBand or RoCE with the srp initiator driver are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Kernel versions with the vulnerable RDMA/srp code before the fix commits. Specific affected versions depend on distribution backports.

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only vulnerable when RDMA/srp driver is loaded and in use (typically for InfiniBand or RoCE storage connections).

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

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Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to denial of service, or potential privilege escalation to kernel-level code execution allowing full system compromise.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability, crashes, or denial of service affecting storage operations through RDMA.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited to denial of service if exploit attempts are detected and blocked, or if affected functionality is disabled.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - RDMA protocols typically operate on internal networks and storage fabrics, not directly internet-exposed.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Requires local network access to RDMA interfaces; attackers with internal network access could potentially trigger the vulnerability.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires triggering SCSI abort conditions in RDMA/srp context, which may require specific storage operations or network conditions.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 05a10b316adaac1f322007ca9a0383b410d759cc, 26788a5b48d9d5cd3283d777d238631c8cd7495a, 2b298f9181582270d5e95774e5a6c7a7fb5b1206, b9bdffb3f9aaeff8379c83f5449c6b42cb71c2b5, e193b7955dfad68035b983a0011f4ef3590c85eb

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/05a10b316adaac1f322007ca9a0383b410d759cc

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update to a kernel version containing the fix commits. 2. Check your distribution's security advisories for backported patches. 3. Reboot the system to load the patched kernel.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable RDMA/srp module

linux

Prevent loading of the vulnerable kernel module if RDMA/srp functionality is not required.

echo 'blacklist ib_srp' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ib_srp.conf
rmmod ib_srp

Restrict RDMA network access

linux

Use network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to RDMA ports (typically InfiniBand or RoCE).

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 3260 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 3260 -j DROP

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict network segmentation for RDMA/InfiniBand traffic to limit potential attackers.
Monitor system logs for kernel panics or unusual RDMA/srp activity that might indicate exploitation attempts.

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check if the ib_srp module is loaded: lsmod | grep ib_srp. If loaded and kernel version is before the fix, system is vulnerable.

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes fix commits or check with distribution-specific security updates. Confirm ib_srp module version if possible.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages related to RDMA, srp, or SCSI subsystems
System crashes during storage operations over RDMA
Error messages mentioning use-after-free or memory corruption

Network Indicators:

Unusual RDMA traffic patterns or connection attempts to storage targets
SCSI abort commands over RDMA networks

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "oops") AND ("RDMA" OR "srp" OR "SCSI")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-52515

CVSS v3 Score: 7.8 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-416

Published: March 2, 2024

Last Updated: December 11, 2024

🔗 References

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