CVE-2023-4208: linux kernel vulnerability

What is known

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net/sched: cls_u32 component can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation. When u32_change() is called on an existing filter, the whole tcf_result struct is always copied into the new instance of the filter. This causes a problem when updating a filter bound to a class, as tcf_unbind_filter() is always called on the old instance in the success path, decreasing filter_cnt of the still referenced class and allowing it to be deleted, leading to a use-after-free. We recommend upgrading past commit 3044b16e7c6fe5d24b1cdbcf1bd0a9d92d1ebd81.

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2023-4208, a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) affecting linux kernel, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether linux kernel is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
• Reference
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• Reference