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CVE Record

CVE-2023-54193: net/sched: cls_api: remove block_cb from driver_list before freeing

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: cls_api: remove block_cb from driver_list before freeing Error handler of tcf_block_bind() frees the whole bo->cb_list on error. However, by that time the flow_block_cb instances are already in the driver list because driver ndo_setup_tc() callback is called before that up the call chain in tcf_block_offload_cmd(). This leaves dangling pointers to freed objects in the list and causes use-after-free[0]. Fix it by also removing flow_block_cb instances from driver_list before deallocating them. [0]: [ 279.868433] ================================================================== [ 279.869964] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in flow_block_cb_setup_simple+0x631/0x7c0 [ 279.871527] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888147e2bf20 by task tc/2963 [ 279.873151] CPU: 6 PID: 2963 Comm: tc Not tainted 6.3.0-rc6+ #4 [ 279.874273] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS rel-1.13.0-0-gf21b5a4aeb02-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 [ 279.876295] Call Trace: [ 279.876882] <TASK> [ 279.877413] dump_stack_lvl+0x33/0x50 [ 279.878198] print_report+0xc2/0x610 [ 279.878987] ? flow_block_cb_setup_simple+0x631/0x7c0 [ 279.879994] kasan_report+0xae/0xe0 [ 279.880750] ? flow_block_cb_setup_simple+0x631/0x7c0 [ 279.881744] ? mlx5e_tc_reoffload_flows_work+0x240/0x240 [mlx5_core] [ 279.883047] flow_block_cb_setup_simple+0x631/0x7c0 [ 279.884027] tcf_block_offload_cmd.isra.0+0x189/0x2d0 [ 279.885037] ? tcf_block_setup+0x6b0/0x6b0 [ 279.885901] ? mutex_lock+0x7d/0xd0 [ 279.886669] ? __mutex_unlock_slowpath.constprop.0+0x2d0/0x2d0 [ 279.887844] ? ingress_init+0x1c0/0x1c0 [sch_ingress] [ 279.888846] tcf_block_get_ext+0x61c/0x1200 [ 279.889711] ingress_init+0x112/0x1c0 [sch_ingress] [ 279.890682] ? clsact_init+0x2b0/0x2b0 [sch_ingress] [ 279.891701] qdisc_create+0x401/0xea0 [ 279.892485] ? qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog+0x470/0x470 [ 279.893473] tc_modify_qdisc+0x6f7/0x16d0 [ 279.894344] ? tc_get_qdisc+0xac0/0xac0 [ 279.895213] ? mutex_lock+0x7d/0xd0 [ 279.896005] ? __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x10/0x10 [ 279.896910] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x5fe/0x9d0 [ 279.897770] ? rtnl_calcit.isra.0+0x2b0/0x2b0 [ 279.898672] ? __sys_sendmsg+0xb5/0x140 [ 279.899494] ? do_syscall_64+0x3d/0x90 [ 279.900302] ? entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 [ 279.901337] ? kasan_save_stack+0x2e/0x40 [ 279.902177] ? kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 [ 279.903058] ? kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [ 279.903913] ? kasan_save_free_info+0x2a/0x40 [ 279.904836] ? ____kasan_slab_free+0x11a/0x1b0 [ 279.905741] ? kmem_cache_free+0x179/0x400 [ 279.906599] netlink_rcv_skb+0x12c/0x360 [ 279.907450] ? rtnl_calcit.isra.0+0x2b0/0x2b0 [ 279.908360] ? netlink_ack+0x1550/0x1550 [ 279.909192] ? rhashtable_walk_peek+0x170/0x170 [ 279.910135] ? kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1af/0x390 [ 279.911086] ? _copy_from_iter+0x3d6/0xc70 [ 279.912031] netlink_unicast+0x553/0x790 [ 279.912864] ? netlink_attachskb+0x6a0/0x6a0 [ 279.913763] ? netlink_recvmsg+0x416/0xb50 [ 279.914627] netlink_sendmsg+0x7a1/0xcb0 [ 279.915473] ? netlink_unicast+0x790/0x790 [ 279.916334] ? iovec_from_user.part.0+0x4d/0x220 [ 279.917293] ? netlink_unicast+0x790/0x790 [ 279.918159] sock_sendmsg+0xc5/0x190 [ 279.918938] ____sys_sendmsg+0x535/0x6b0 [ 279.919813] ? import_iovec+0x7/0x10 [ 279.920601] ? kernel_sendmsg+0x30/0x30 [ 279.921423] ? __copy_msghdr+0x3c0/0x3c0 [ 279.922254] ? import_iovec+0x7/0x10 [ 279.923041] ___sys_sendmsg+0xeb/0x170 [ 279.923854] ? copy_msghdr_from_user+0x110/0x110 [ 279.924797] ? ___sys_recvmsg+0xd9/0x130 [ 279.925630] ? __perf_event_task_sched_in+0x183/0x470 [ 279.926656] ? ___sys_sendmsg+0x170/0x170 [ 279.927529] ? ctx_sched_in+0x530/0x530 [ 279.928369] ? update_curr+0x283/0x4f0 [ 279.929185] ? perf_event_update_userpage+0x570/0x570 [ 279.930201] ? __fget_light+0x57/0x520 [ 279.931023] ? __switch_to+0x53d/0xe70 [ 27 ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-54193 is a Linux kernel memory safety bug in traffic-control scheduling code. An error path can leave a freed callback object referenced by a driver list, causing a use-after-free. The supplied record does not provide CVSS, confirmed exploitation, or impact beyond the kernel crash-style KASAN evidence.

Executive priority

Treat this as a kernel maintenance priority, especially for Linux systems doing advanced networking. The business urgency is not proven critical from the supplied evidence because exploitation and CVSS are absent, but kernel memory safety bugs can affect availability and platform trust.

Technical view

The flaw is in net/sched cls_api during tcf_block_bind() error handling. flow_block_cb objects are added to a driver list before tcf_block_offload_cmd() unwinds; the error handler frees cb_list without removing those entries, leaving dangling pointers later touched by flow_block_cb_setup_simple(). Stable kernel commits remove callbacks from driver_list before freeing.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with traffic-control classifier/offload paths in use. The source lists Linux kernel versions including 5.3, 5.4.243, 5.10.180, 5.15.112, 6.1.29, 6.2.16, 6.3.3, and 6.4 as affected.

Exploitation context

The source includes a KASAN slab-use-after-free trace triggered by a tc process through rtnetlink. It does not cite public exploit code, KEV inclusion, remote exploitability, privilege requirements, or exploitation in the wild. KEV is false in the supplied bundle.

Researcher notes

Evidence is strongest for a traffic-control offload error-path use-after-free. The supplied trace mentions mlx5_core, sch_ingress, qdisc_create, rtnetlink, and tc, but the CVE record names Linux generally. Do not infer affected NICs, distributions, containers, or privilege escalation without more sources.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize hosts using traffic control, qdisc, ingress, clsact, or hardware offload features.
  • Check your Linux vendor advisory for exact fixed package versions.
  • If no vendor fix is available, follow vendor guidance for temporary risk reduction.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, appliances, containers hosts, and network nodes.
  • Compare running kernels with the affected versions and stable commit references in the CVE record.
  • Confirm patched systems include one of the referenced upstream stable fixes.
  • Review kernel logs for KASAN or use-after-free reports in net/sched or flow_block paths.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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-2023-54193 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
8Source 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
LinuxLinux59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8, 59094b1e5094c7e50a3d2912202fd30b6a1dadf8unaffected
LinuxLinux5.3, 0, 5.4.243, 5.10.180, 5.15.112, 6.1.29, 6.2.16, 6.3.3, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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