Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: x_tables: fix...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: x_tables: fix percpu counter block leak on error path when creating new netns
Here is the stack where we allocate percpu counter block:
+-< __alloc_percpu
+-< xt_percpu_counter_alloc
+-< find_check_entry # {arp,ip,ip6}_tables.c
+-< translate_table
And it can be leaked on this code path:
+-> ip6t_register_table
+-> translate_table # allocates percpu counter block
+-> xt_register_table # fails
there is no freeing of the counter block on xt_register_table fail.
Note: xt_percpu_counter_free should be called to free it like we do in
do_replace through cleanup_entry helper (or in __ip6t_unregister_table).
Probability of hitting this error path is low AFAICS (xt_register_table
can only return ENOMEM here, as it is not replacing anything, as we are
creating new netns, and it is hard to imagine that all previous
allocations succeeded and after that one in xt_register_table failed).
But it's worth fixing even the rare leak.
Impact
CVE-2023-53200 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-53200? CVE-2023-53200 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2023-53200? CVE-2023-53200 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-53200? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2023-53200 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2023-53200 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-53200 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-53200 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.