# CVE-2023-52522: net: fix possible store tearing in neigh_periodic_work()

> A race condition in the Linux kernel networking stack can cause store tearing, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Mar 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52522, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52522, GHSA-f8jx-pmvg-jgfh, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52522

## What is CVE-2023-52522?

CVE-2023-52522 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 Mar 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: fix possible store tearing in neigh_periodic_work()

While looking at a related syzbot report involving neigh_periodic_work(),
I found that I forgot to add an annotation when deleting an
RCU protected item from a list.

Readers use rcu_deference(*np), we need to use either
rcu_assign_pointer() or WRITE_ONCE() on writer side
to prevent store tearing.

I use rcu_assign_pointer() to have lockdep support,
this was the choice made in neigh_flush_dev().

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52522?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52522?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52522 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52522 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-52522 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52522 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 Mar 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52522 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52522/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52522/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52522
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52522
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52522

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52522/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.