CVE-2023-53189
📋 TL;DR
This is a Linux kernel vulnerability in the IPv6 address configuration module that could cause a reference count underflow for network interface device structures. If exploited, it could lead to kernel memory corruption or system crashes. Systems running affected Linux kernel versions with IPv6 enabled are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 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...
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 →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 or system crash leading to denial of service, potentially allowing privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
System instability or crash requiring reboot, causing temporary denial of service.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or IPv6 disabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires precise timing to trigger the race condition during rs_timer modifications.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patched in stable kernel versions via commits: 06a0716949c22e2aefb648526580671197151acc, 1f656e483eb4733d62f18dfb206a49b78f60f495, 2ad31ce40e8182860b631e37209e93e543790b7c, 436b7cc7eae7851c184b671ed7a4a64c750b86f7, 82abd1c37d3bf2a2658b34772c17a25a6f9cca42
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution vendor. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable IPv6
LinuxCompletely disable IPv6 functionality to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable IPv6 on all network interfaces
- Implement network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare with distribution's security advisories. Vulnerable if running unpatched kernel with IPv6 enabled.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version matches patched version from vendor. Check that IPv6 is either disabled or the system remains stable during network operations.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- System crash/reboot logs
- IPv6 address configuration errors in kernel logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual IPv6 router solicitation patterns
- Network interface instability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "BUG") AND ("ipv6" OR "addrconf" OR "rs_timer")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06a0716949c22e2aefb648526580671197151acc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f656e483eb4733d62f18dfb206a49b78f60f495
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ad31ce40e8182860b631e37209e93e543790b7c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/436b7cc7eae7851c184b671ed7a4a64c750b86f7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/82abd1c37d3bf2a2658b34772c17a25a6f9cca42
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c6395e32935d35e6f935e7caf1c2dac5a95943b4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7eeba47058532f6077d6a658e38b6698f6ae71a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/df62fdcd004afa72ecbed0e862ebb983acd3aa57
