CVE-2023-53192
📋 TL;DR
A Linux kernel vulnerability in the VXLAN implementation where improper hash size handling can cause out-of-bounds memory access. This can lead to kernel panic (denial of service) and potentially local privilege escalation. Affects systems using VXLAN networking with nexthop routing features.
💻 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 leading to system crash and denial of service, with potential for local privilege escalation if memory corruption can be controlled.
Likely Case
System crash/panic when specific VXLAN networking conditions trigger the hash calculation issue, causing denial of service.
If Mitigated
No impact if VXLAN is not configured or if systems are patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires specific VXLAN configuration and network conditions to trigger the hash calculation issue. The vulnerability is in kernel networking code and could potentially be triggered by crafted network packets.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patched in kernel commits: 0756384fb1bd38adb2ebcfd1307422f433a1d772, 23c195ce6f4aec86e1c9e1ea1c800381c4b465c7, 32ef2c0c6cf11a076f0280a7866b9abc47821e19, 7b8717658dff8b471cbfc124bf9b5ca4229579ed, c650597647ecb318d02372277bdfd866c6829f78
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0756384fb1bd38adb2ebcfd1307422f433a1d772
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix. 2. Check with your distribution vendor for specific patched kernel versions. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable VXLAN
linuxIf VXLAN is not required, disable VXLAN networking to eliminate the vulnerability.
# Remove VXLAN interfaces
ip link delete vxlan0
# Or disable VXLAN module
rmmod vxlan
Use alternative routing
linuxConfigure VXLAN to use routing methods other than nexthop features.
# Configure VXLAN without nexthop features
# Check current VXLAN configuration: ip -d link show vxlan0
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable VXLAN interfaces if not essential for operations
- Implement network segmentation to limit VXLAN traffic to trusted sources only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and VXLAN configuration: uname -r and ip -d link show | grep vxlanCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is patched and check for absence of kernel panics related to nexthop_select_path in system logs📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning nexthop_select_path
- Out of bounds access errors in kernel logs
- Page fault addresses around ffffc900025910c8
Network Indicators:
- Unusual VXLAN traffic patterns
- Sudden network interface failures on VXLAN interfaces
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("nexthop_select_path" OR "page fault" OR "out of bounds")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0756384fb1bd38adb2ebcfd1307422f433a1d772
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23c195ce6f4aec86e1c9e1ea1c800381c4b465c7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32ef2c0c6cf11a076f0280a7866b9abc47821e19
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b8717658dff8b471cbfc124bf9b5ca4229579ed
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c650597647ecb318d02372277bdfd866c6829f78
