LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2023-53548: net: usbnet: Fix WARNING in usbnet_start_xmit/usb_submit_urb

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: usbnet: Fix WARNING in usbnet_start_xmit/usb_submit_urb The syzbot fuzzer identified a problem in the usbnet driver: usb 1-1: BOGUS urb xfer, pipe 3 != type 1 WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 754 at drivers/usb/core/urb.c:504 usb_submit_urb+0xed6/0x1880 drivers/usb/core/urb.c:504 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 754 Comm: kworker/0:2 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc7-syzkaller-00014-g692b7dc87ca6 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 05/27/2023 Workqueue: mld mld_ifc_work RIP: 0010:usb_submit_urb+0xed6/0x1880 drivers/usb/core/urb.c:504 Code: 7c 24 18 e8 2c b4 5b fb 48 8b 7c 24 18 e8 42 07 f0 fe 41 89 d8 44 89 e1 4c 89 ea 48 89 c6 48 c7 c7 a0 c9 fc 8a e8 5a 6f 23 fb <0f> 0b e9 58 f8 ff ff e8 fe b3 5b fb 48 81 c5 c0 05 00 00 e9 84 f7 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000463f568 EFLAGS: 00010086 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000001 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: ffff88801eb28000 RSI: ffffffff814c03b7 RDI: 0000000000000001 RBP: ffff8881443b7190 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: 0000000000000003 R13: ffff88802a77cb18 R14: 0000000000000003 R15: ffff888018262500 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8880b9800000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000556a99c15a18 CR3: 0000000028c71000 CR4: 0000000000350ef0 Call Trace: <TASK> usbnet_start_xmit+0xfe5/0x2190 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1453 __netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4918 [inline] netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4932 [inline] xmit_one net/core/dev.c:3578 [inline] dev_hard_start_xmit+0x187/0x700 net/core/dev.c:3594 ... This bug is caused by the fact that usbnet trusts the bulk endpoint addresses its probe routine receives in the driver_info structure, and it does not check to see that these endpoints actually exist and have the expected type and directions. The fix is simply to add such a check.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53548 is a Linux kernel usbnet driver flaw. The driver trusted USB bulk endpoint details without confirming they existed and matched expected types and directions, which could trigger a kernel warning. The bundle does not provide CVSS, impact severity, or active exploitation evidence.

Executive priority

Treat as a patch-management item unless your environment relies heavily on USB networking or physical USB exposure. The absence of CVSS and exploitation evidence limits urgency, but kernel flaws in device-facing code should not be ignored.

Technical view

In usbnet_start_xmit, malformed or unexpected USB endpoint metadata could reach usb_submit_urb and trigger a WARNING because usbnet did not validate endpoint existence, type, and direction during probe. The upstream fix adds those checks. Affected Linux kernel versions and stable commit references are listed, but exact range semantics are not fully described.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems using the usbnet driver or USB network adapters on affected kernel builds. General servers without relevant USB networking paths may have lower practical exposure. Confirm against distribution kernel advisories and enabled hardware paths.

Exploitation context

The source says syzbot found the issue through fuzzing. KEV is false, and no cited source in the bundle claims active exploitation, public exploit use, or remote attackability.

Researcher notes

The bundle attributes the bug to trusting driver_info bulk endpoint addresses without checking endpoint existence, type, or direction. It does not establish confidentiality, integrity, availability impact, privilege boundary, or exploitability beyond the syzbot-triggered warning.

Mitigation direction

  • Check vendor kernel advisories for packages containing the referenced usbnet validation fixes.
  • Upgrade affected Linux kernels through supported distribution or stable kernel channels.
  • Prioritize systems using USB network adapters, embedded Linux, appliances, and exposed physical USB ports.
  • Restrict untrusted physical USB access where feasible until patched.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, workstations, appliances, and embedded devices.
  • Identify systems with usbnet loaded or USB network adapters in use.
  • Compare installed kernels with vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
  • Review kernel logs for related usb_submit_urb or usbnet WARNING entries.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

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-2023-53548 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
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
9Source links

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.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574e, 2e55cc7210fef90f88201e860d8767594974574eunaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.14, 0, 4.14.322, 4.19.291, 5.4.253, 5.10.190, 5.15.126, 6.1.45, 6.4.10, 6.5affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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