Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53358 is a Linux kernel use-after-free bug in ksmbd during concurrent SMB2 tree disconnect handling. If a vulnerable kernel is running ksmbd, a low-privileged local attacker could potentially affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The source bundle does not show public exploitation or KEV listing.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for Linux servers that expose ksmbd and allow non-admin local access. It is less urgent for systems without ksmbd enabled or without untrusted local users, but kernel maintenance teams should still track vendor fixes.
Technical view
The flaw is a race in ksmbd tree connection teardown. Concurrent SMB2 tree disconnect activity can cause use-after-free, classified as CWE-416. The kernel fix adds TREE_CONN_EXPIRE state to prevent concurrent access to an expiring tree connection. CVSS 3.1 is 7.0 with local attack vector, high complexity, and low privileges required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernels with ksmbd SMB server functionality enabled. The affected version data includes Linux 5.15 and later listed kernel lines through 6.4, but the bundle does not map those cleanly to distribution packages.
Exploitation context
No active exploitation is cited. KEV is false in the bundle. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires local access, low privileges, no user interaction, and high attack complexity, so urgency depends heavily on whether untrusted users can access affected hosts.
Researcher notes
The public bundle provides the root cause and stable commit references, but not distribution-specific package status or exploit telemetry. Validation should focus on ksmbd presence, kernel lineage, and whether the relevant stable fix is included in deployed kernels.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check your Linux distribution advisory for exact fixed package versions.
- Disable ksmbd where kernel SMB service is not required.
- Limit low-privileged local access on systems running vulnerable kernels.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems running Linux kernels in the affected version ranges.
- Confirm whether ksmbd is enabled or loaded on those systems.
- Map installed kernel packages to vendor fixed versions or stable commits.
- Prioritize hosts with untrusted local users or shared access.
Public sources used
- CVE Program
- CVE List V5
- Linux stable commit b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8
- Linux stable commit bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6
- Linux stable commit dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6
- Linux stable commit 39366b47a59d46af15ac57beb0996268bf911f6a
- Linux stable commit 30210947a343b6b3ca13adc9bfc88e1543e16dd5
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-416: 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-2023-53358 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 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H15.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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/b36295c17fb97424406f0c3ab321b1ccaabb9be8CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd80d35725a0cf4df9307bfe2f1a3b2cb983d8e6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc1c17716c099c90948ebb83e2170dd75a3be6b6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39366b47a59d46af15ac57beb0996268bf911f6aCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30210947a343b6b3ca13adc9bfc88e1543e16dd5CVE 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.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.