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

> A race condition in the Linux kernel netfilter subsystem could lead to system instability or denial of service due to improper garbage collection handling.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Jan 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52923, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52923, GHSA-f2qv-j847-m6vp, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52923

## What is CVE-2023-52923?

CVE-2023-52923 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Jan 2025. 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:

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.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52923?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52923?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52923 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52923 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-2023-52923 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52923 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Jan 2025. 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-2023-52923 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-2023-52923/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52923/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52923
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52923
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52923

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52923/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.