Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: cdc_ncm: Deal with too...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: cdc_ncm: Deal with too low values of dwNtbOutMaxSize
Currently in cdc_ncm_check_tx_max(), if dwNtbOutMaxSize is lower than
the calculated "min" value, but greater than zero, the logic sets
tx_max to dwNtbOutMaxSize. This is then used to allocate a new SKB in
cdc_ncm_fill_tx_frame() where all the data is handled.
For small values of dwNtbOutMaxSize the memory allocated during
alloc_skb(dwNtbOutMaxSize, GFP_ATOMIC) will have the same size, due to
how size is aligned at alloc time:
size = SKB_DATA_ALIGN(size);
size += SKB_DATA_ALIGN(sizeof(struct skb_shared_info));
Thus we hit the same bug that we tried to squash with
commit 2be6d4d16a084 ("net: cdc_ncm: Allow for dwNtbOutMaxSize to be unset or zero")
Low values of dwNtbOutMaxSize do not cause an issue presently because at
alloc_skb() time more memory (512b) is allocated than required for the
SKB headers alone (320b), leaving some space (512b - 320b = 192b)
for CDC data (172b).
However, if more elements (for example 3 x u64 = [24b]) were added to
one of the SKB header structs, say 'struct skb_shared_info',
increasing its original size (320b [320b aligned]) to something larger
(344b [384b aligned]), then suddenly the CDC data (172b) no longer
fits in the spare SKB data area (512b - 384b = 128b).
Consequently the SKB bounds checking semantics fails and panics:
skbuff: skb_over_panic: text:ffffffff831f755b len:184 put:172 head:ffff88811f1c6c00 data:ffff88811f1c6c00 tail:0xb8 end:0x80 dev:
------------[ cut here ]------------
kernel BUG at net/core/skbuff.c:113!
invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN
CPU: 0 PID: 57 Comm: kworker/0:2 Not tainted 5.15.106-syzkaller-00249-g19c0ed55a470 #0
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 04/14/2023
Workqueue: mld mld_ifc_work
RIP: 0010:skb_panic net/core/skbuff.c:113 [inline]
RIP: 0010:skb_over_panic+0x14c/0x150 net/core/skbuff.c:118
[snip]
Call Trace:
skb_put+0x151/0x210 net/core/skbuff.c:2047
skb_put_zero include/linux/skbuff.h:2422 [inline]
cdc_ncm_ndp16 drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c:1131 [inline]
cdc_ncm_fill_tx_frame+0x11ab/0x3da0 drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c:1308
cdc_ncm_tx_fixup+0xa3/0x100
Deal with too low values of dwNtbOutMaxSize, clamp it in the range
[USB_CDC_NCM_NTB_MIN_OUT_SIZE, CDC_NCM_NTB_MAX_SIZE_TX]. We ensure
enough data space is allocated to handle CDC data by making sure
dwNtbOutMaxSize is not smaller than USB_CDC_NCM_NTB_MIN_OUT_SIZE.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2023-53667 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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-53667? CVE-2023-53667 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-2023-53667? CVE-2023-53667 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-2023-53667? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2023-53667 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2023-53667 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-53667 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-2023-53667 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.