# CVE-2023-53570: wifi: nl80211: fix integer overflow in nl80211_parse_mbssid_elems()

> A local attacker with CAP_NET_ADMIN can trigger an integer overflow leading to heap buffer overflow in the Linux kernel Wi-Fi subsystem, potentially enabling code execution.

- **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:** 4 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53570, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53570, GHSA-h96f-j67j-7f7q, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53570

## What is CVE-2023-53570?

CVE-2023-53570 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Oct 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:

wifi: nl80211: fix integer overflow in nl80211_parse_mbssid_elems()

nl80211_parse_mbssid_elems() uses a u8 variable num_elems to count the
number of MBSSID elements in the nested netlink attribute attrs, which can
lead to an integer overflow if a user of the nl80211 interface specifies
256 or more elements in the corresponding attribute in userspace. The
integer overflow can lead to a heap buffer overflow as num_elems determines
the size of the trailing array in elems, and this array is thereafter
written to for each element in attrs.

Note that this vulnerability only affects devices with the
wiphy->mbssid_max_interfaces member set for the wireless physical device
struct in the device driver, and can only be triggered by a process with
CAP_NET_ADMIN capabilities.

Fix this by checking for a maximum of 255 elements in attrs.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53570?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53570?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53570 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53570 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-2023-53570 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53570 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Oct 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-2023-53570 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-2023-53570/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53570/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53570
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53570
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53570

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53570/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.