CVE-2023-52658
MEDIUMCVSS VectorNVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionNVD
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
Revert "net/mlx5: Block entering switchdev mode with ns inconsistency"
This reverts commit 662404b24a4c4d839839ed25e3097571f5938b9b. The revert is required due to the suspicion it is not good for anything and cause crash.
AnalysisAI
A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's MLX5 network driver switchdev mode implementation, caused by a problematic commit (662404b24a4c4d839839ed25e3097571f5938b9b) that was reverted due to suspected instability and system crashes. Local attackers with low privileges can trigger this vulnerability to cause system unavailability or kernel crashes without user interaction. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions 6.3 through 6.8-rc1, with an EPSS score of 0.02% indicating low exploitation probability in the wild, though patches are available from the kernel maintainers.
Technical ContextAI
The vulnerability is located in the Linux kernel's Mellanox MLX5 Ethernet driver subsystem, specifically in the switchdev (switch device) mode code path. Switchdev mode allows network devices to function as virtual switches within the kernel, and the problematic commit attempted to add namespace consistency validation before entering switchdev mode. The revert was necessary because the validation logic introduced a defect that causes kernel crashes rather than preventing problematic configurations. The root cause appears to be insufficient input validation or improper error handling in the switchdev mode transition logic, though no specific CWE is assigned. The affected CPE entries (cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel) confirm impact across multiple kernel versions from 6.3-rc4 through 6.8-rc1.
RemediationAI
Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 6.3 with the revert patch (commit 136ccb2041a5d1a475f845d3bc138550be6f5daa or later) or to any stable kernel version released after the fix (6.4.x, 6.5.x, 6.6.x, 6.7.x, or 6.8 final release). Most major Linux distributions (Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE) have backported these fixes to their supported kernel branches, so apply updates via your distribution's package management system. Until patching is feasible, avoid enabling switchdev mode on MLX5 devices unless absolutely necessary; if switchdev mode must be used, restrict access to the system through firewall rules and user account controls. Verify kernel version and apply available security updates from your distribution vendor's advisory channels. No workarounds are viable for production systems running switchdev mode, making timely patching the only reliable mitigation.
Share
External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today