CVE-2023-5197 Use-after-free in Linux kernel's netfilter: nf_tables component

What is CVE-2023-5197?

CVE-2023-5197 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 26 Sep 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter: nf_tables component can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation.

Addition and removal of rules from chain bindings within the same transaction causes leads to use-after-free.

We recommend upgrading past commit f15f29fd4779be8a418b66e9d52979bb6d6c2325.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5197?

It affects 2 products.

Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2023-5197?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2023-5197 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5197 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

• CVE-2015-3306 ProFTPD Improper Access Control Exploited Critical 10.0
• CVE-2025-49113 RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data Exploited Critical 9.9
• CVE-2026-24061 GNU InetUtils Argument Injection Exploited Critical 9.8
• CVE-2025-39682 Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Exploited Critical 9.8
• CVE-2024-9680 Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free Exploited Critical 9.8

All Debian Debian Linux vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as AZL-30057, BELL-CVE-2023-5197, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-5197, GHSA-5xr7-jj63-cqf7, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-5197.