CVE-2023-52923: netfilter: nf_tables: adapt set backend to use GC transaction API

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2025-01-20 · updated 2026-08-04

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: adapt set backend to use GC transaction API Use the GC transaction API to replace the old and buggy gc API and the busy mark approach. No set elements are removed from async garbage collection anymore, instead the _DEAD bit is set on so the set element is not visible from lookup path anymore. Async GC enqueues transaction work that might be aborted and retried later. rbtree and pipapo set backends does not set on the _DEAD bit from the sync GC path since this runs in control plane path where mutex is held. In this case, set elements are deactivated, removed and then released via RCU callback, sync GC never fails.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 4.1 before 4.19.316; from 4.20 before 5.4.262; from 5.5 before 5.10.198; from 5.11 before 5.15.134; from 5.16 before 6.1.56; from 6.2 before 6.4.11 — fixed in 4.19.316, 5.10.198, 5.15.134, 5.4.262, 6.1.56, 6.4.11

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 4.19.316, 5.10.198, 5.15.134, 5.4.262. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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