Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53340 is a Linux kernel flaw in the mlx5 network driver. A local user with privileges can trigger an out-of-bounds array access when a failed DEVX command is not recognized by the driver. The listed CVSS score is high because successful exploitation could affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability on exposed systems.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation on multi-user, virtualization, compute, and high-trust Linux hosts using mlx5 hardware. The issue requires local privileges, which lowers broad internet risk, but kernel memory safety impact makes affected shared systems important to patch promptly.
Technical view
The mlx5 driver attempted to collect failure data for failed DEVX general commands even when the command was unknown and no storage existed for it. This caused an array-index-out-of-bounds condition. The kernel fix checks whether the command is known before collecting command failure data.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernels with mlx5 driver functionality available. The source bundle lists Linux kernel versions and stable commits but does not provide distribution-specific package names or complete fixed-version mapping.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, privileges required, and no user interaction. The bundle marks KEV as false, and no provided source confirms active exploitation. Treat this as locally exploitable kernel risk, not a confirmed internet-facing campaign.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports CWE-129, CVSS 7.8, and a bounds-check fix in net/mlx5 command failure handling. The source bundle does not include exploit proof, real-world abuse, distro package status, or detailed vulnerable-to-fixed version ranges beyond referenced kernel stable commits.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check Linux distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
- Prioritize systems using mlx5-capable network or RDMA hardware.
- Restrict untrusted local access on potentially affected systems.
- Monitor vendor guidance for backports and corrected version ranges.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across mlx5-capable hosts.
- Confirm whether mlx5 driver functionality is present or loaded.
- Map installed kernels to vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
- Verify updated systems boot into the corrected kernel.
- Record exceptions where no affected mlx5 exposure exists.
Public sources used
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.
CWE-129: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-53340 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
- 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
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/411e4d6caa7f7169192b8dacc8421ac4fd64a354CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8b6f175235d7327b4e1b13216859e89496dfbd5CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a0a935fb64ee8af253b9c6133bb6702fb152ac2CVE reference, Linux
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.
Improper Validation of Array Index
Improper Validation of Array Index represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.