CVE-2023-52744·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/irdma: Fix potential NULL-ptr-dereference in_dev_get() can return NULL which will cause a failure once idev is dereferenced in in_dev_for_each_ifa_rtnl(). This patch adds a check for NULL value in idev beforehand. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.
- Severity
- medium
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.1.12
- Published
How likely is exploitation
FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at <0.1% — higher than 26% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.
Affected versions
From: 5.16
Until: 6.1.12
Fixed in: 6.1.12
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.1.12 or later to address a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the RDMA/irdma driver. This vulnerability affects systems running kernel versions 5.16 through 6.1.11 and can cause a denial of service condition when the in_dev_get() function fails to properly validate interface device structures. Prioritize this update for systems utilizing RDMA networking hardware.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-develDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Step 1: Check your kernel version with 'uname -r' and compare against the affected range (5.16-6.1.11)
- Step 2: Verify RDMA/irdma driver is loaded by running 'lsmod | grep irdma' (if irdma appears, the vulnerable component is present)
- Step 3: Search kernel logs for NULL pointer dereference errors: 'sudo dmesg | grep -i "null pointer\|irdma\|in_dev"'
- Step 4: After patching, reboot and run 'uname -r' to confirm kernel version is 6.1.12 or later, then re-run 'lsmod | grep irdma' to confirm driver still loads without errors
FAQ
What is CVE-2023-52744?
This vulnerability is a null pointer dereference flaw in the Linux kernel's RDMA/irdma driver where the in_dev_get() function can return a NULL value, leading to a crash when the code attempts to iterate through interface addresses without proper validation.
Is CVE-2023-52744 being actively exploited?
No, this vulnerability is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and no public exploits are currently available.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2023-52744?
Linux kernel versions 5.16 through 6.1.11 are vulnerable; version 6.1.12 and later contain the fix.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2023-52744?
Run 'uname -r' to get your kernel version and verify it falls within 5.16-6.1.11 range. Then run 'lsmod | grep irdma' to check if the affected driver is loaded on your system.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2023-52744?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel package is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2023-52744 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/360682fe7df262d94fae54f737c487bec0f9190d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d9745cead1f121974322b94ceadfb4d1e67960e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f5fe1cd8e6a97f94840b55f59ed08cbc397086f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/360682fe7df262d94fae54f737c487bec0f9190d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d9745cead1f121974322b94ceadfb4d1e67960e
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