CVE-2023-53798: ethtool: Fix uninitialized number of lanes
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ethtool: Fix uninitialized number of lanes
It is not possible to set the number of lanes when setting link modes
using the legacy IOCTL ethtool interface. Since 'struct
ethtool_link_ksettings' is not initialized in this path, drivers receive
an uninitialized number of lanes in 'struct
ethtool_link_ksettings::lanes'.
When this information is later queried from drivers, it results in the
ethtool code making decisions based on uninitialized memory, leading to
the following KMSAN splat [1]. In practice, this most likely only
happens with the tun driver that simply returns whatever it got in the
set operation.
As far as I can tell, this uninitialized memory is not leaked to user
space thanks to the 'ethtool_ops->cap_link_lanes_supported' check in
linkmodes_prepare_data().
Fix by initializing the structure in the IOCTL path. Did not find any
more call sites that pass an uninitialized structure when calling
'ethtool_ops::set_link_ksettings()'.
[1]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in ethnl_update_linkmodes net/ethtool/linkmodes.c:273 [inline]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in ethnl_set_linkmodes+0x190b/0x19d0 net/ethtool/linkmodes.c:333
ethnl_update_linkmodes net/ethtool/linkmodes.c:273 [inline]
ethnl_set_linkmodes+0x190b/0x19d0 net/ethtool/linkmodes.c:333
ethnl_default_set_doit+0x88d/0xde0 net/ethtool/netlink.c:640
genl_family_rcv_msg_doit net/netlink/genetlink.c:968 [inline]
genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1048 [inline]
genl_rcv_msg+0x141a/0x14c0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1065
netlink_rcv_skb+0x3f8/0x750 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2577
genl_rcv+0x40/0x60 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1076
netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1339 [inline]
netlink_unicast+0xf41/0x1270 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1365
netlink_sendmsg+0x127d/0x1430 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1942
sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:724 [inline]
sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:747 [inline]
____sys_sendmsg+0xa24/0xe40 net/socket.c:2501
___sys_sendmsg+0x2a1/0x3f0 net/socket.c:2555
__sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2584 [inline]
__do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2593 [inline]
__se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2591 [inline]
__x64_sys_sendmsg+0x36b/0x540 net/socket.c:2591
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x41/0xc0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
Uninit was stored to memory at:
tun_get_link_ksettings+0x37/0x60 drivers/net/tun.c:3544
__ethtool_get_link_ksettings+0x17b/0x260 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:441
ethnl_set_linkmodes+0xee/0x19d0 net/ethtool/linkmodes.c:327
ethnl_default_set_doit+0x88d/0xde0 net/ethtool/netlink.c:640
genl_family_rcv_msg_doit net/netlink/genetlink.c:968 [inline]
genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1048 [inline]
genl_rcv_msg+0x141a/0x14c0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1065
netlink_rcv_skb+0x3f8/0x750 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2577
genl_rcv+0x40/0x60 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1076
netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1339 [inline]
netlink_unicast+0xf41/0x1270 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1365
netlink_sendmsg+0x127d/0x1430 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1942
sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:724 [inline]
sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:747 [inline]
____sys_sendmsg+0xa24/0xe40 net/socket.c:2501
___sys_sendmsg+0x2a1/0x3f0 net/socket.c:2555
__sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2584 [inline]
__do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2593 [inline]
__se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2591 [inline]
__x64_sys_sendmsg+0x36b/0x540 net/socket.c:2591
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x41/0xc0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
Uninit was stored to memory at:
tun_set_link_ksettings+0x37/0x60 drivers/net/tun.c:3553
ethtool_set_link_ksettings+0x600/0x690 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:609
__dev_ethtool net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3024 [inline]
dev_ethtool+0x1db9/0x2a70 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3078
dev_ioctl+0xb07/0x1270 net/core/dev_ioctl.c:524
sock_do_ioctl+0x295/0x540 net/socket.c:1213
sock_i
---truncated---
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53798 is a Linux kernel bug in ethtool link-mode handling. A value for network link lanes may be left uninitialized, causing kernel logic to act on unpredictable memory. The source suggests practical impact is likely narrow and not a user-space memory leak.
Executive priority
Treat as routine kernel maintenance unless the environment has sensitive multi-tenant Linux hosts or delayed patching. There is no cited active exploitation and no confirmed user-space memory disclosure in the provided sources.
Technical view
The legacy IOCTL ethtool path passes struct ethtool_link_ksettings without initializing lanes. Drivers can store and return that value; later netlink link-mode handling may make decisions from uninitialized memory. The report notes tun is the most likely practical driver case.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel builds and using the relevant ethtool link settings paths. The CVE data identifies Linux kernel versions including 5.12, 5.15.112, 6.1.29, 6.2.16, 6.3.3, and 6.4 as affected.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not report active exploitation, and KEV is false. They show a KMSAN-detected uninitialized-value path, not a confirmed exploit. Required access conditions and business impact are not fully defined in the source bundle.
Researcher notes
Key constraints: severity and CVSS are absent, exploitability is not demonstrated, and the report says user-space leakage is unlikely due to a capability check. Validate downstream backports rather than relying only on upstream version strings.
Mitigation direction
Update to a vendor kernel package containing the referenced ethtool initialization fix.
Check Linux distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
Prioritize systems exposing tun devices or operational use of ethtool link settings.
If patching is delayed, restrict administrative network-configuration access where feasible.
Validation and detection
Inventory kernel versions across Linux hosts and appliances.
Compare installed kernels with vendor advisories for CVE-2023-53798.
Confirm patched builds include one of the referenced stable commits or equivalent backport.
Review security monitoring for unusual local network-configuration activity.
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 publishedCVE Program
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Dec 9, 2025, 00:00 UTC (UTC+00:00)
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