# CVE-2023-5972: Kernel: the nfta_inner_num and nfta_expr_name netlink attributes accessed without checking its presence in nft_inner.c

> A local attacker can crash the system or escalate privileges due to a null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's netfilter module.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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:** 23 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** AZL-32062, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-5972, GHSA-8jhq-62jp-gh72, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-5972

## What is CVE-2023-5972?

CVE-2023-5972 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 23 Nov 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A null pointer dereference flaw was found in the nft_inner.c functionality of netfilter in the Linux kernel. This issue could allow a local user to crash the system or escalate their privileges on the system.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5972?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fedoraproject Fedora, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5972?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-5972 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5972 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Fedoraproject Fedora

- [CVE-2024-4577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4577/): PHP-CGI OS Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-39226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39226/): Grafana Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-5544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5544/): VMware ESXi and Horizon DaaS OpenSLP Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4947](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4947/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4671/): Google Chromium Visuals Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5972 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5972 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 23 Nov 2023. 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-2023-5972 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fedoraproject Fedora. 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-2023-5972/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5972/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5972
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5972
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5972

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5972/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.