Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-PCF2-G46W-WP92

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-12-24 12:30 – Updated: 2026-08-04 12:34

Details

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter

Set element addition error path decrements reference counter on chains twice: once on element release and again via nft_data_release().

Then, d6b478666ffa ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in object reference counter") incorrectly fixed this by removing the stateful object reference count decrement.

Restore the stateful object decrement as in b91d90368837 ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix leaking object reference count") and let nft_data_release() decrement the chain reference counter, so this is done only once.

Severity

7.8 (High)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Show details on source website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2023-54035"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2025-12-24T11:15:56Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnetfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter\n\nSet element addition error path decrements reference counter on chains\ntwice: once on element release and again via nft_data_release().\n\nThen, d6b478666ffa (\"netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in object\nreference counter\") incorrectly fixed this by removing the stateful\nobject reference count decrement.\n\nRestore the stateful object decrement as in b91d90368837 (\"netfilter:\nnf_tables: fix leaking object reference count\") and let\nnft_data_release() decrement the chain reference counter, so this is\ndone only once.",
  "id": "GHSA-pcf2-g46w-wp92",
  "modified": "2026-08-04T12:34:43Z",
  "published": "2025-12-24T12:30:28Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54035"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2023-54035 (GCVE-0-2023-54035)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-12-24 10:56 – Updated: 2026-08-05 09:16

Title

netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter Set element addition error path decrements reference counter on chains twice: once on element release and again via nft_data_release(). Then, d6b478666ffa ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in object reference counter") incorrectly fixed this by removing the stateful object reference count decrement. Restore the stateful object decrement as in b91d90368837 ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix leaking object reference count") and let nft_data_release() decrement the chain reference counter, so this is done only once.

Severity

7.8 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Assigner

Linux mitre root

References

3 references

URL	Tags
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b068314fd8ce751a7…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c959671abc7d4ffd…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b389139f12f287b8e…

Impacted products

2 products

Vendor	Product	Version
Linux	Linux	Affected: 35651fde1a7bb54dde0a46d35cd0d7136869ae86 , < b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0 (git) Affected: 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 , < 9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c (git) Affected: 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 , < b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59 (git) Affected: bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1 (git) Affected: 3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50 (git) Affected: a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9 (git) Affected: 25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8 (git) Affected: d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9 (git) Affected: dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41 (git) Affected: 4.19.316 , < 4.20 (semver) Affected: 5.4.262 , < 5.5 (semver) Affected: 5.10.188 , < 5.11 (semver) Affected: 5.15.121 , < 5.16 (semver) Affected: 6.3.10 , < 6.4 (semver)
Linux	Linux	Affected: 6.4 Unaffected: 0 , < 6.4 (semver) Unaffected: 6.4.4 , ≤ 6.4.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.5 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "35651fde1a7bb54dde0a46d35cd0d7136869ae86",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "4.20",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.19.316",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5.5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.4.262",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5.11",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.10.188",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5.16",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.15.121",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.4",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.3.10",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.4"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.4",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.4.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.4.4",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.5",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.4.4",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.4",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.5",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.4",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "4.19.316",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.4.262",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.10.188",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.15.121",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.3.10",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnetfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter\n\nSet element addition error path decrements reference counter on chains\ntwice: once on element release and again via nft_data_release().\n\nThen, d6b478666ffa (\"netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in object\nreference counter\") incorrectly fixed this by removing the stateful\nobject reference count decrement.\n\nRestore the stateful object decrement as in b91d90368837 (\"netfilter:\nnf_tables: fix leaking object reference count\") and let\nnft_data_release() decrement the chain reference counter, so this is\ndone only once."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7.8,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The vulnerability is reached via the nfnetlink/netlink socket interface (NFT_MSG_NEWSETELEM), a local kernel API with no remote/network reachability.\nAC:L - The attacker deterministically reaches the buggy error path (e.g., inserting a duplicate map element to force -EEXIST) and controls how many times to repeat it; no uncontrolled conditions are involved.\nPR:L - nf_tables requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, but an unprivileged user obtains this in a new network namespace via unshare -Urn, so only low privileges are needed.\nUI:N - The counter underflow and subsequent chain deletion are triggered entirely by the attacker\u0027s own netlink operations, with no victim interaction required.\nS:U - The impact stays within the kernel\u0027s security authority (local privilege escalation), not crossing into a separate security scope such as a hypervisor boundary.\nC:H - The chain refcount underflow leads to a use-after-free of the chain object, letting the attacker reclaim the freed slot and read sensitive kernel memory.\nI:H - The use-after-free provides heap write primitives via reclaiming the freed chain object, enabling arbitrary memory corruption and privilege escalation.\nA:H - Freeing a still-referenced chain leaves dangling pointers that cause use-after-free access and kernel panic/oops."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T09:16:39.727Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59"
        }
      ],
      "title": "netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2023-54035",
    "datePublished": "2025-12-24T10:56:02.358Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-12-24T10:53:46.180Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T09:16:39.727Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.