Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Linux kernel issue affects netfilter nf_tables handling of expired verdict-map elements with timeouts. In specific firewall rule conditions, cleanup can miss accounting updates, causing warnings and a kernel structure memory leak. The public data does not provide CVSS, confirmed exploitation, or impact beyond the described leak and bogus errors.
Executive priority
Track this as a kernel maintenance risk, not an emergency based on current evidence. Prioritize remediation where Linux hosts use nftables heavily for firewalling, routing, containers, or edge security controls, especially if kernel updates are already due.
Technical view
nf_tables set walks skipped expired elements during preparation versus commit or abort handling. For verdict maps with timeouts, an expired element referencing a chain could avoid use-count updates, then be destroyed later, leaking the nft_chain structure and producing WARN output. The fix changes lookup/walk behavior so expired elements are not skipped.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most plausible on Linux systems using nf_tables/netfilter with verdict maps and timeout-enabled sets. Systems not using nf_tables or those already carrying the referenced stable kernel fixes are less likely exposed. The source bundle does not identify distributions, packages, or default configurations.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV status is false in the provided bundle, and no cited source claims active exploitation. The source describes a kernel logic bug causing WARN output, bogus ENOENT errors, and memory leakage, but does not establish practical exploitability or privilege requirements.
Researcher notes
The key condition is the asymmetry between preparation and commit/abort walks when expired verdict-map elements reference chains. Evidence supports memory leak and WARN behavior; it does not support claims of remote exploitation, privilege escalation, or code execution.
Mitigation direction
- Check vendor kernel advisories for CVE-2023-52924 coverage.
- Prioritize kernel updates that include the referenced stable commits.
- Inventory Linux hosts using nf_tables verdict maps with timeouts.
- Monitor kernel logs for related nf_tables WARN messages.
- Avoid treating workaround assumptions as fixes without vendor confirmation.
Validation and detection
- Record kernel versions across Linux fleet.
- Confirm whether nf_tables is enabled and in operational use.
- Review firewall rules for verdict maps with timeout-enabled sets.
- Map installed kernels to vendor advisories or referenced stable commits.
- Check kernel logs for nf_tables WARN output or unexpected ENOENT flush errors.
Public sources used
- CVE Program
- CVE List V5
- Linux stable commit 94313a196b44184b5b52c1876da6a537701b425a
- Linux stable commit 1da4874d05da1526b11b82fc7f3c7ac38749ddf8
- Linux stable commit b15ea4017af82011dd55225ce77cce3d4dfc169c
- Linux stable commit 7c7e658a36f8b1522bd3586d8137e5f93a25ddc5
- Linux stable commit 59dab3bf0b8fc08eb802721c0532f13dd89209b8
- Linux stable commit bd156ce9553dcaf2d6ee2c825d1a5a1718e86524
- Linux stable commit 24138933b97b055d486e8064b4a1721702442a9b
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2023-52924 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94313a196b44184b5b52c1876da6a537701b425aCVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1da4874d05da1526b11b82fc7f3c7ac38749ddf8CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b15ea4017af82011dd55225ce77cce3d4dfc169cCVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c7e658a36f8b1522bd3586d8137e5f93a25ddc5CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/59dab3bf0b8fc08eb802721c0532f13dd89209b8CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd156ce9553dcaf2d6ee2c825d1a5a1718e86524CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/24138933b97b055d486e8064b4a1721702442a9bCVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
