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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53595: octeontx2-pf: mcs: Fix NULL pointer dereferences

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: octeontx2-pf: mcs: Fix NULL pointer dereferences When system is rebooted after creating macsec interface below NULL pointer dereference crashes occurred. This patch fixes those crashes by using correct order of teardown [ 3324.406942] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 [ 3324.415726] Mem abort info: [ 3324.418510] ESR = 0x96000006 [ 3324.421557] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 3324.426865] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 3324.429913] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 3324.433047] Data abort info: [ 3324.435921] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000006 [ 3324.439748] CM = 0, WnR = 0 .... [ 3324.575915] Call trace: [ 3324.578353] cn10k_mdo_del_secy+0x24/0x180 [ 3324.582440] macsec_common_dellink+0xec/0x120 [ 3324.586788] macsec_notify+0x17c/0x1c0 [ 3324.590529] raw_notifier_call_chain+0x50/0x70 [ 3324.594965] call_netdevice_notifiers_info+0x34/0x7c [ 3324.599921] rollback_registered_many+0x354/0x5bc [ 3324.604616] unregister_netdevice_queue+0x88/0x10c [ 3324.609399] unregister_netdev+0x20/0x30 [ 3324.613313] otx2_remove+0x8c/0x310 [ 3324.616794] pci_device_shutdown+0x30/0x70 [ 3324.620882] device_shutdown+0x11c/0x204 [ 966.664930] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 [ 966.673712] Mem abort info: [ 966.676497] ESR = 0x96000006 [ 966.679543] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 966.684848] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 966.687895] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 966.691028] Data abort info: [ 966.693900] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000006 [ 966.697729] CM = 0, WnR = 0 [ 966.833467] Call trace: [ 966.835904] cn10k_mdo_stop+0x20/0xa0 [ 966.839557] macsec_dev_stop+0xe8/0x11c [ 966.843384] __dev_close_many+0xbc/0x140 [ 966.847298] dev_close_many+0x84/0x120 [ 966.851039] rollback_registered_many+0x114/0x5bc [ 966.855735] unregister_netdevice_many.part.0+0x14/0xa0 [ 966.860952] unregister_netdevice_many+0x18/0x24 [ 966.865560] macsec_notify+0x1ac/0x1c0 [ 966.869303] raw_notifier_call_chain+0x50/0x70 [ 966.873738] call_netdevice_notifiers_info+0x34/0x7c [ 966.878694] rollback_registered_many+0x354/0x5bc [ 966.883390] unregister_netdevice_queue+0x88/0x10c [ 966.888173] unregister_netdev+0x20/0x30 [ 966.892090] otx2_remove+0x8c/0x310 [ 966.895571] pci_device_shutdown+0x30/0x70 [ 966.899660] device_shutdown+0x11c/0x204 [ 966.903574] __do_sys_reboot+0x208/0x290 [ 966.907487] __arm64_sys_reboot+0x20/0x30 [ 966.911489] el0_svc_handler+0x80/0x1c0 [ 966.915316] el0_svc+0x8/0x180 [ 966.918362] Code: f9400000 f9400a64 91220014 f94b3403 (f9400060) [ 966.924448] ---[ end trace 341778e799c3d8d7 ]---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53595 is a Linux kernel crash bug in the octeontx2-pf driver’s MACsec cleanup path. After a MACsec interface is created, reboot or device teardown can hit a NULL pointer dereference. The likely business impact is availability disruption on affected systems, not confirmed data theft or remote compromise.

Executive priority

Prioritize patching for infrastructure using the affected hardware and MACsec. Broader enterprise urgency is lower unless these systems support critical network services, because evidence points to a targeted availability crash and no confirmed active exploitation.

Technical view

The issue is in octeontx2-pf MCS MACsec teardown ordering. The provided traces show NULL pointer dereferences in cn10k_mdo_del_secy and cn10k_mdo_stop during netdevice unregister, PCI shutdown, and reboot. Kernel stable commits are referenced as the fix path. CVSS, CWE, and exploitability details are not provided.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems using the octeontx2-pf/CN10K MACsec path, especially where MACsec interfaces are created before reboot or device removal. The source lists Linux as affected, with versions around 6.1 through 6.4 needing vendor mapping.

Exploitation context

The source describes crashes during reboot after creating a MACsec interface. It does not cite active exploitation, KEV listing, public exploit code, remote triggerability, privilege requirements, or confidentiality impact. Treat exploitation context as incomplete.

Researcher notes

Key unknowns are CVSS score, exact distro package ranges, trigger prerequisites beyond MACsec interface creation, and whether local privileges are required. The most useful validation is commit/package mapping plus reproducing safe shutdown behavior in a lab, without developing exploit procedures.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor or kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Map distro kernel packages to the fixed upstream commits before closing exposure.
  • Avoid creating MACsec interfaces on affected octeontx2-pf systems until patched.
  • Plan maintenance windows for network hosts where reboot instability is operationally risky.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts using octeontx2-pf or CN10K networking hardware.
  • Check whether MACsec interfaces are configured on those hosts.
  • Compare running kernel packages against vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
  • Review reboot or shutdown logs for matching NULL pointer dereference traces.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

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

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CVE-2023-53595 mapping review

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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
5Source 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

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Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxc54ffc73601c0a239e55911923a6e23a2a74f143, c54ffc73601c0a239e55911923a6e23a2a74f143, c54ffc73601c0a239e55911923a6e23a2a74f143, c54ffc73601c0a239e55911923a6e23a2a74f143unaffected
LinuxLinux6.1, 0, 6.1.29, 6.2.16, 6.3.3, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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