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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53296: sctp: check send stream number after wait_for_sndbuf

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: check send stream number after wait_for_sndbuf This patch fixes a corner case where the asoc out stream count may change after wait_for_sndbuf. When the main thread in the client starts a connection, if its out stream count is set to N while the in stream count in the server is set to N - 2, another thread in the client keeps sending the msgs with stream number N - 1, and waits for sndbuf before processing INIT_ACK. However, after processing INIT_ACK, the out stream count in the client is shrunk to N - 2, the same to the in stream count in the server. The crash occurs when the thread waiting for sndbuf is awake and sends the msg in a non-existing stream(N - 1), the call trace is as below: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000038-0x000000000000003f] Call Trace: <TASK> sctp_cmd_send_msg net/sctp/sm_sideeffect.c:1114 [inline] sctp_cmd_interpreter net/sctp/sm_sideeffect.c:1777 [inline] sctp_side_effects net/sctp/sm_sideeffect.c:1199 [inline] sctp_do_sm+0x197d/0x5310 net/sctp/sm_sideeffect.c:1170 sctp_primitive_SEND+0x9f/0xc0 net/sctp/primitive.c:163 sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc+0x10eb/0x1a30 net/sctp/socket.c:1868 sctp_sendmsg+0x8d4/0x1d90 net/sctp/socket.c:2026 inet_sendmsg+0x9d/0xe0 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:825 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:722 [inline] sock_sendmsg+0xde/0x190 net/socket.c:745 The fix is to add an unlikely check for the send stream number after the thread wakes up from the wait_for_sndbuf.

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53296 is a Linux kernel SCTP flaw that can crash a vulnerable system under a specific local send-stream race condition. It affects availability, not confidentiality or integrity. The business risk is service disruption on Linux systems where local users or workloads can exercise SCTP behavior.

Executive priority

Treat as a routine but real availability-risk kernel patch. It is not currently supported by the provided sources as actively exploited, but systems hosting untrusted local workloads should be patched sooner because the impact is a crash.

Technical view

The bug is a null pointer dereference in Linux SCTP send handling after wait_for_sndbuf. The association outbound stream count can shrink after INIT_ACK processing, then a waiting sender resumes using a now-invalid stream number. Kernel stable commits add a post-wakeup stream-number check.

Likely exposure

Exposure is mainly Linux systems running affected kernel versions with SCTP available to local users, containers, or workloads. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privilege, no user interaction, and high availability impact.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. Evidence supports a local denial-of-service condition through a kernel crash, not remote compromise or data theft. Public sources provided do not include exploit maturity details.

Researcher notes

Focus validation on SCTP association stream-count handling around wait_for_sndbuf and INIT_ACK processing. The supplied trace points to sctp_cmd_send_msg and sctp_sendmsg paths. Do not assume remote reachability from the CVSS vector or supplied evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor kernel containing the referenced stable SCTP fix.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixed kernel packages.
  • Prioritize multi-user, container-host, and workload-dense Linux systems.
  • Limit untrusted local access while patching, where operationally feasible.
  • Track kernel versions against vendor guidance, not only upstream version numbers.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts and record running kernel versions.
  • Identify systems where SCTP is available or required by workloads.
  • Confirm vendor advisory status for CVE-2023-53296 on each distribution.
  • Verify installed kernels include the referenced stable fix or vendor backport.
  • Run regression tests for SCTP-dependent applications after kernel updates.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
9

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

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ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-476: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2023-53296 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
8Source links

SSVC decision data

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

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
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-53296Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51, 5bbbbe32a43199c2b9ea5ea66fab6241c64beb51unaffected
LinuxLinux4.15, 0, 4.19.281, 5.4.241, 5.10.178, 5.15.107, 6.1.24, 6.2.11, 6.3affected
Weakness

CWE details

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

CWE-476 · source CWE mapping

NULL Pointer Dereference

NULL Pointer Dereference represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.