Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: af_alg - Fix missing...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
crypto: af_alg - Fix missing initialisation affecting gcm-aes-s390
Fix af_alg_alloc_areq() to initialise areq->first_rsgl.sgl.sgt.sgl to point
to the scatterlist array in areq->first_rsgl.sgl.sgl.
Without this, the gcm-aes-s390 driver will oops when it tries to do
gcm_walk_start() on req->dst because req->dst is set to the value of
areq->first_rsgl.sgl.sgl by _aead_recvmsg() calling
aead_request_set_crypt().
The problem comes if an empty ciphertext is passed: the loop in
af_alg_get_rsgl() just passes straight out and doesn't set areq->first_rsgl
up.
This isn't a problem on x86_64 using gcmaes_crypt_by_sg() because, as far
as I can tell, that ignores req->dst and only uses req->src[*].
[*] Is this a bug in aesni-intel_glue.c?
The s390x oops looks something like:
Unable to handle kernel pointer dereference in virtual kernel address space
Failing address: 0000000a00000000 TEID: 0000000a00000803
Fault in home space mode while using kernel ASCE.
AS:00000000a43a0007 R3:0000000000000024
Oops: 003b ilc:2 [#1] SMP
...
Call Trace:
[<000003ff7fc3d47e>] gcm_walk_start+0x16/0x28 [aes_s390]
[<00000000a2a342f2>] crypto_aead_decrypt+0x9a/0xb8
[<00000000a2a60888>] aead_recvmsg+0x478/0x698
[<00000000a2e519a0>] sock_recvmsg+0x70/0xb0
[<00000000a2e51a56>] sock_read_iter+0x76/0xa0
[<00000000a273e066>] vfs_read+0x26e/0x2a8
[<00000000a273e8c4>] ksys_read+0xbc/0x100
[<00000000a311d808>] __do_syscall+0x1d0/0x1f8
[<00000000a312ff30>] system_call+0x70/0x98
Last Breaking-Event-Address:
[<000003ff7fc3e6b4>] gcm_aes_crypt+0x104/0xa68 [aes_s390]
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2023-53599 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-2023-53599? CVE-2023-53599 is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
- How severe is CVE-2023-53599? CVE-2023-53599 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-2023-53599? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2023-53599 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2023-53599 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-53599 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-2023-53599 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.