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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53863: netlink: do not hard code device address lenth in fdb dumps

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netlink: do not hard code device address lenth in fdb dumps syzbot reports that some netdev devices do not have a six bytes address [1] Replace ETH_ALEN by dev->addr_len. [1] (Case of a device where dev->addr_len = 4) BUG: KMSAN: kernel-infoleak in instrument_copy_to_user include/linux/instrumented.h:114 [inline] BUG: KMSAN: kernel-infoleak in copyout+0xb8/0x100 lib/iov_iter.c:169 instrument_copy_to_user include/linux/instrumented.h:114 [inline] copyout+0xb8/0x100 lib/iov_iter.c:169 _copy_to_iter+0x6d8/0x1d00 lib/iov_iter.c:536 copy_to_iter include/linux/uio.h:206 [inline] simple_copy_to_iter+0x68/0xa0 net/core/datagram.c:513 __skb_datagram_iter+0x123/0xdc0 net/core/datagram.c:419 skb_copy_datagram_iter+0x5c/0x200 net/core/datagram.c:527 skb_copy_datagram_msg include/linux/skbuff.h:3960 [inline] netlink_recvmsg+0x4ae/0x15a0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1970 sock_recvmsg_nosec net/socket.c:1019 [inline] sock_recvmsg net/socket.c:1040 [inline] ____sys_recvmsg+0x283/0x7f0 net/socket.c:2722 ___sys_recvmsg+0x223/0x840 net/socket.c:2764 do_recvmmsg+0x4f9/0xfd0 net/socket.c:2858 __sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2937 [inline] __do_sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2960 [inline] __se_sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2953 [inline] __x64_sys_recvmmsg+0x397/0x490 net/socket.c:2953 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: __nla_put lib/nlattr.c:1009 [inline] nla_put+0x1c6/0x230 lib/nlattr.c:1067 nlmsg_populate_fdb_fill+0x2b8/0x600 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4071 nlmsg_populate_fdb net/core/rtnetlink.c:4418 [inline] ndo_dflt_fdb_dump+0x616/0x840 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4456 rtnl_fdb_dump+0x14ff/0x1fc0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4629 netlink_dump+0x9d1/0x1310 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2268 netlink_recvmsg+0xc5c/0x15a0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1995 sock_recvmsg_nosec+0x7a/0x120 net/socket.c:1019 ____sys_recvmsg+0x664/0x7f0 net/socket.c:2720 ___sys_recvmsg+0x223/0x840 net/socket.c:2764 do_recvmmsg+0x4f9/0xfd0 net/socket.c:2858 __sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2937 [inline] __do_sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2960 [inline] __se_sys_recvmmsg net/socket.c:2953 [inline] __x64_sys_recvmmsg+0x397/0x490 net/socket.c:2953 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 created at: slab_post_alloc_hook+0x12d/0xb60 mm/slab.h:716 slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:3451 [inline] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x4ff/0x8b0 mm/slub.c:3490 kmalloc_trace+0x51/0x200 mm/slab_common.c:1057 kmalloc include/linux/slab.h:559 [inline] __hw_addr_create net/core/dev_addr_lists.c:60 [inline] __hw_addr_add_ex+0x2e5/0x9e0 net/core/dev_addr_lists.c:118 __dev_mc_add net/core/dev_addr_lists.c:867 [inline] dev_mc_add+0x9a/0x130 net/core/dev_addr_lists.c:885 igmp6_group_added+0x267/0xbc0 net/ipv6/mcast.c:680 ipv6_mc_up+0x296/0x3b0 net/ipv6/mcast.c:2754 ipv6_mc_remap+0x1e/0x30 net/ipv6/mcast.c:2708 addrconf_type_change net/ipv6/addrconf.c:3731 [inline] addrconf_notify+0x4d3/0x1d90 net/ipv6/addrconf.c:3699 notifier_call_chain kernel/notifier.c:93 [inline] raw_notifier_call_chain+0xe4/0x430 kernel/notifier.c:461 call_netdevice_notifiers_info net/core/dev.c:1935 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers_extack net/core/dev.c:1973 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers+0x1ee/0x2d0 net/core/dev.c:1987 bond_enslave+0xccd/0x53f0 drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c:1906 do_set_master net/core/rtnetlink.c:2626 [inline] rtnl_newlink_create net/core/rtnetlink.c:3460 [inline] __rtnl_newlink net/core/rtnetlink.c:3660 [inline] rtnl_newlink+0x378c/0x40e0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3673 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x16a6/0x1840 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6395 netlink_rcv_skb+0x371/0x650 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2546 rtnetlink_rcv+0x34/0x40 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6413 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1339 [inline] netlink_unicast+0xf28/0x1230 net/netlink/af_ ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue can expose small amounts of uninitialized kernel memory through netlink forwarding-database dump responses. It is not reported as actively exploited in the provided sources. Business urgency depends on kernel exposure to local users, containers, or services that can interact with netlink.

Executive priority

Treat as routine-to-expedited kernel maintenance, with higher priority for shared Linux hosts and container platforms. Current evidence supports information disclosure risk, not confirmed active exploitation.

Technical view

The bug is in rtnetlink FDB dump handling. Code used a hard-coded six-byte Ethernet address length instead of the device's actual address length, causing uninitialized bytes to be copied to user space for devices with shorter addresses. The upstream fix replaces ETH_ALEN with dev->addr_len.

Likely exposure

Linux systems running affected kernel branches are the relevant exposure. The provided record lists Linux kernel versions and stable-branch fixes, but does not identify specific distributions, appliances, or cloud images.

Exploitation context

The source evidence shows a syzbot/KMSAN kernel-infoleak report through netlink recvmsg paths. KEV is false, and no provided source states public exploitation or weaponized exploit availability.

Researcher notes

The key condition is a netdev with addr_len shorter than ETH_ALEN during FDB dump population. The report traces uninitialized memory through nla_put and copy_to_user. The bundle does not provide CVSS, CWE, distribution status, or exploit prerequisites beyond the kernel trace.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize multi-user, container-host, and network-service Linux systems.
  • Check distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
  • Reboot into the fixed kernel after updating.
  • If patching is delayed, reduce untrusted local access where practical.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running Linux kernel versions across exposed systems.
  • Map each system to vendor fixed releases or referenced stable commits.
  • Confirm the active booted kernel after patching, not only installed packages.
  • Review container hosts and systems allowing untrusted local workloads.
  • Check vendor guidance for backported fixes with different version strings.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
11

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-2023-53863 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
10Source 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.

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxd83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295, d83b060360485454fcd6870340ec01d6f96f2295unaffected
LinuxLinux3.5, 0, 4.14.322, 4.19.291, 5.4.251, 5.10.188, 5.15.121, 6.1.39, 6.3.13, 6.4.4, 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.