CVE-2023-52924

netfilter: nf_tables: don't skip expired elements during walk

Published Feb 5, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nf_tables: don't skip expired elements during walk

There is an asymmetry between commit/abort and preparation phase if the
following conditions are met:

1. set is a verdict map ("1.2.3.4 : jump foo")
2. timeouts are enabled

In this case, following sequence is problematic:

1. element E in set S refers to chain C
2. userspace requests removal of set S
3. kernel does a set walk to decrement chain->use count for all elements
from preparation phase
4. kernel does another set walk to remove elements from the commit phase
(or another walk to do a chain->use increment for all elements from
abort phase)

If E has already expired in 1), it will be ignored during list walk, so its use count
won't have been changed.

Then, when set is culled, ->destroy callback will zap the element via
nf_tables_set_elem_destroy(), but this function is only safe for
elements that have been deactivated earlier from the preparation phase:
lack of earlier deactivate removes the element but leaks the chain use
count, which results in a WARN splat when the chain gets removed later,
plus a leak of the nft_chain structure.

Update pipapo_get() not to skip expired elements, otherwise flush
command reports bogus ENOENT errors.

Analysis

No analysis available yet

Remediation

No remediation available yet

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00116}

epss

{'score': 0.00089}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-664
Metrics threat_severity

Low

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: don't skip expired elements during walk There is an asymmetry between commit/abort and preparation phase if the following conditions are met: 1. set is a verdict map ("1.2.3.4 : jump foo") 2. timeouts are enabled In this case, following sequence is problematic: 1. element E in set S refers to chain C 2. userspace requests removal of set S 3. kernel does a set walk to decrement chain->use count for all elements from preparation phase 4. kernel does another set walk to remove elements from the commit phase (or another walk to do a chain->use increment for all elements from abort phase) If E has already expired in 1), it will be ignored during list walk, so its use count won't have been changed. Then, when set is culled, ->destroy callback will zap the element via nf_tables_set_elem_destroy(), but this function is only safe for elements that have been deactivated earlier from the preparation phase: lack of earlier deactivate removes the element but leaks the chain use count, which results in a WARN splat when the chain gets removed later, plus a leak of the nft_chain structure. Update pipapo_get() not to skip expired elements, otherwise flush command reports bogus ENOENT errors.
Title netfilter: nf_tables: don't skip expired elements during walk
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 5, 2026, 8:20 PM
Reserved
Aug 21, 2024, 6:07 AM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Feb 5, 2025, 10:15 AM
Modified
Nov 5, 2026, 9:17 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Feb 5, 2025, 12:00 AM