CVE-2023-53369: net: dcb: choose correct policy to parse DCB_ATTR_BCN
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: dcb: choose correct policy to parse DCB_ATTR_BCN
The dcbnl_bcn_setcfg uses erroneous policy to parse tb[DCB_ATTR_BCN],
which is introduced in commit 859ee3c43812 ("DCB: Add support for DCB
BCN"). Please see the comment in below code
static int dcbnl_bcn_setcfg(...)
{
...
ret = nla_parse_nested_deprecated(..., dcbnl_pfc_up_nest, .. )
// !!! dcbnl_pfc_up_nest for attributes
// DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_0 to DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_ALL in enum dcbnl_pfc_up_attrs
...
for (i = DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_0; i <= DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_7; i++) {
// !!! DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_0 to DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_7 in enum dcbnl_bcn_attrs
...
value_byte = nla_get_u8(data[i]);
...
}
...
for (i = DCB_BCN_ATTR_BCNA_0; i <= DCB_BCN_ATTR_RI; i++) {
// !!! DCB_BCN_ATTR_BCNA_0 to DCB_BCN_ATTR_RI in enum dcbnl_bcn_attrs
...
value_int = nla_get_u32(data[i]);
...
}
...
}
That is, the nla_parse_nested_deprecated uses dcbnl_pfc_up_nest
attributes to parse nlattr defined in dcbnl_pfc_up_attrs. But the
following access code fetch each nlattr as dcbnl_bcn_attrs attributes.
By looking up the associated nla_policy for dcbnl_bcn_attrs. We can find
the beginning part of these two policies are "same".
static const struct nla_policy dcbnl_pfc_up_nest[...] = {
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_0] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_1] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_2] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_3] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_4] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_5] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_6] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_7] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_PFC_UP_ATTR_ALL] = {.type = NLA_FLAG},
};
static const struct nla_policy dcbnl_bcn_nest[...] = {
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_0] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_1] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_2] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_3] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_4] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_5] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_6] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_7] = {.type = NLA_U8},
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_RP_ALL] = {.type = NLA_FLAG},
// from here is somewhat different
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_BCNA_0] = {.type = NLA_U32},
...
[DCB_BCN_ATTR_ALL] = {.type = NLA_FLAG},
};
Therefore, the current code is buggy and this
nla_parse_nested_deprecated could overflow the dcbnl_pfc_up_nest and use
the adjacent nla_policy to parse attributes from DCB_BCN_ATTR_BCNA_0.
Hence use the correct policy dcbnl_bcn_nest to parse the nested
tb[DCB_ATTR_BCN] TLV.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53369 is a Linux kernel bug in Data Center Bridging configuration handling. A local user with low privileges may be able to cause a denial of service by triggering incorrect parsing in kernel networking code. The available sources do not show data theft, privilege escalation, or active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a routine but real availability risk. It should be included in normal kernel patch cycles, with faster handling for shared Linux infrastructure where local users or workloads are not fully trusted.
Technical view
The dcbnl_bcn_setcfg path parses DCB_ATTR_BCN with the wrong netlink attribute policy, dcbnl_pfc_up_nest instead of dcbnl_bcn_nest. Later code treats parsed attributes as dcbnl_bcn_attrs, which can overflow policy lookup for later BCN attributes and affect kernel availability.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with local users or workloads able to reach the DCB netlink configuration path. Internet-only exposure is not indicated by the CVSS vector or sources.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. CVSS describes local access, low attack complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high availability impact only.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports a policy mismatch in Linux DCB BCN netlink parsing and an availability-focused impact. The bundle does not include CWE mapping, exploit reports, proof-of-concept status, or distribution-specific fixed package versions, so validation should rely on vendor backport confirmation.
Mitigation direction
Update to a vendor kernel that includes the listed upstream stable fixes.
Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes before relying on version numbers alone.
Prioritize multi-user hosts, shared compute, and systems running untrusted local workloads.
If patch timing is constrained, review vendor guidance for supported temporary mitigations.
Validation and detection
Inventory running Linux kernel versions across servers, containers, and appliances.
Confirm whether the vendor kernel contains one of the referenced stable commits or a backport.
Identify systems with local shell access, shared workloads, or untrusted users.
Track remediation evidence through package changelogs or vendor security notices.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
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CVE-2023-53369 mapping review
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