LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2023-53218: rxrpc: Make it so that a waiting process can be aborted

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rxrpc: Make it so that a waiting process can be aborted When sendmsg() creates an rxrpc call, it queues it to wait for a connection and channel to be assigned and then waits before it can start shovelling data as the encrypted DATA packet content includes a summary of the connection parameters. However, sendmsg() may get interrupted before a connection gets assigned and further sendmsg() calls will fail with EBUSY until an assignment is made. Fix this so that the call can at least be aborted without failing on EBUSY. We have to be careful here as sendmsg() mustn't be allowed to start the call timer if the call doesn't yet have a connection assigned as an oops may follow shortly thereafter.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53218 is a Linux kernel rxrpc flaw where an interrupted send operation can leave a call in a bad waiting state. The CVSS score is high because the kernel is involved and the stated impact covers confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The bundle does not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority kernel maintenance item, especially for multi-user Linux servers and shared workload platforms. It is not supported as an internet-exposed emergency by the provided sources.

Technical view

The issue is in Linux kernel rxrpc sendmsg call setup. If sendmsg is interrupted before connection and channel assignment, later sends can fail with EBUSY, and unsafe timer behavior could lead to a kernel oops. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant on Linux systems running affected kernel builds where rxrpc functionality is present and reachable by local users or applications. Distribution kernels may have backported fixes, so version strings alone may not prove exposure.

Exploitation context

The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization. The risk is still material because this is local kernel attack surface with high CVSS impact claims.

Researcher notes

The evidence is limited to the CVE record and upstream stable commit references. Avoid assuming affected distributions, exploit maturity, or a specific remediation beyond kernels containing the rxrpc fixes or vendor backports.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux kernel updates that include the referenced stable rxrpc fixes.
  • Check distribution advisories for backported fixes for CVE-2023-53218.
  • Prioritize systems allowing untrusted local users, workloads, or containers.
  • If patching is delayed, review vendor guidance for any rxrpc-specific hardening.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions and vendor patch status across Linux hosts.
  • Confirm whether vendor packages include the referenced upstream stable commits.
  • Check whether rxrpc support is built, loaded, or otherwise available.
  • Run existing regression tests after kernel updates, especially networking workloads.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · low confidence lookup

CVE-2023-53218 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
4Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-53218Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux540b1c48c37ac0ad66212004db21e1ff7e2d78be, 540b1c48c37ac0ad66212004db21e1ff7e2d78be, 540b1c48c37ac0ad66212004db21e1ff7e2d78beunaffected
LinuxLinux4.11, 0, 6.2.16, 6.3.3, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.