Vulnerability · Published Sep 17, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-53354skbuff: skb_segment, Call zero copy functions before using skbuff frags
High 7.8
In plain English
A high-severity null pointer dereference in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 11% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: skbuff: skb_segment, Call zero copy functions before using skbuff frags Commit bf5c25d60861 ("skbuff: in skb_segment, call zerocopy functions once per nskb") added the call to zero copy functions in skb_segment(). The change introduced a bug in skb_segment() because skb_orphan_frags() may possibly change the number of fragments or allocate new fragments altogether leaving nrfrags and frag to point to the old values. This can cause a panic with stacktrace like the one below. [ 193.894380] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000bc [ 193.895273] CPU: 13 PID: 18164 Comm: vh-net-17428 Kdump: loaded Tainted: G O 5.15.123+ #26 [ 193.903919] RIP: 0010:skb_segment+0xb0e/0x12f0 [ 194.021892] Call Trace: [ 194.027422] <TASK> [ 194.072861] tcp_gso_segment+0x107/0x540 [ 194.082031] inet_gso_segment+0x15c/0x3d0 [ 194.090783] skb_mac_gso_segment+0x9f/0x110 [ 194.095016] __skb_gso_segment+0xc1/0x190 [ 194.103131] netem_enqueue+0x290/0xb10 [sch_netem] [ 194.107071] dev_qdisc_enqueue+0x16/0x70 [ 194.110884] __dev_queue_xmit+0x63b/0xb30 [ 194.121670] bond_start_xmit+0x159/0x380 [bonding] [ 194.128506] dev_hard_start_xmit+0xc3/0x1e0 [ 194.131787] __dev_queue_xmit+0x8a0/0xb30 [ 194.138225] macvlan_start_xmit+0x4f/0x100 [macvlan] [ 194.141477] dev_hard_start_xmit+0xc3/0x1e0 [ 194.144622] sch_direct_xmit+0xe3/0x280 [ 194.147748] __dev_queue_xmit+0x54a/0xb30 [ 194.154131] tap_get_user+0x2a8/0x9c0 [tap] [ 194.157358] tap_sendmsg+0x52/0x8e0 [tap] [ 194.167049] handle_tx_zerocopy+0x14e/0x4c0 [vhost_net] [ 194.173631] handle_tx+0xcd/0xe0 [vhost_net] [ 194.176959] vhost_worker+0x76/0xb0 [vhost] [ 194.183667] kthread+0x118/0x140 [ 194.190358] ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 [ 194.193670] </TASK> In this case calling skb_orphan_frags() updated nr_frags leaving nrfrags local variable in skb_segment() stale. This resulted in the code hitting i >= nrfrags prematurely and trying to move to next frag_skb using list_skb pointer, which was NULL, and caused kernel panic. Move the call to zero copy functions before using frags and nr_frags.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.55-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.5.3-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.5.3-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-94.104 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1053.58 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1056.64 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1056.64.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1051.59 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1050.55 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1036.42 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1046.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-intel | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1047.53 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1050.55 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-94.104 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1044.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1022.22 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1009.9 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1051.57 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1046.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1027.31 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53354 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | bf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before fcab3f661dbfd88e27ddbbe65368f3fa2d823175bf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before d44403ec0676317b7f7edf2a035bb219fee3304ebf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before 8836c266201c29a5acb4f582227686f47b65ad61bf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before d5790386595d06ea9decfd9ba5f1ea48cf09aa02bf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before 04c3eee4e13f60bf6f9a366ad39f88a01a57166ebf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before f99006e840a4dbc8f5a34cecc6b5b26c73ef49bbbf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before 6c26ed3c6abe86ddab0510529000b970b05c9b40bf5c25d608613eaf4dcdba5a9cac5b2afe67d635 – before 2ea35288c83b3d501a88bc17f2df8f176b5cc96f |
| Linux | Linux | 4.16 |
Weakness: CWE-476 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fcab3f661dbfd88e27ddbbe65368f3fa2d823175
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d44403ec0676317b7f7edf2a035bb219fee3304e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8836c266201c29a5acb4f582227686f47b65ad61
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5790386595d06ea9decfd9ba5f1ea48cf09aa02
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04c3eee4e13f60bf6f9a366ad39f88a01a57166e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f99006e840a4dbc8f5a34cecc6b5b26c73ef49bb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c26ed3c6abe86ddab0510529000b970b05c9b40
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ea35288c83b3d501a88bc17f2df8f176b5cc96f