CVE-2023-53000 netlink: prevent potential spectre v1 gadgets
A local attacker can exploit Spectre v1 gadgets in netlink attribute parsing to leak sensitive kernel memory contents.
- 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
What is CVE-2023-53000?
CVE-2023-53000 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Mar 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:
netlink: prevent potential spectre v1 gadgets
Most netlink attributes are parsed and validated from __nla_validate_parse() or validate_nla()
u16 type = nla_type(nla);
if (type == 0 || type > maxtype) { /* error or continue */ }
@type is then used as an array index and can be used as a Spectre v1 gadget.
array_index_nospec() can be used to prevent leaking content of kernel memory to malicious users.
This should take care of vast majority of netlink uses, but an audit is needed to take care of others where validation is not yet centralized in core netlink functions.
Weakness: CWE-129
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53000?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53000?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2023-53000 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53000 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53000, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53000, GHSA-jw5w-h5c8-x699, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53000.