CVE-2023-6270 Kernel: aoe: improper reference count leads to use-after-free vulnerability

What is CVE-2023-6270?

CVE-2023-6270 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 4 Jan 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

A flaw was found in the ATA over Ethernet (AoE) driver in the Linux kernel. The aoecmd_cfg_pkts() function improperly updates the refcnt on `struct net_device`, and a use-after-free can be triggered by racing between the free on the struct and the access through the `skbtxq` global queue. This could lead to a denial of service condition or potential code execution.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-6270?

It affects 3 products.

Products include Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2023-6270?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2023-6270 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-6270 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

• CVE-2015-3306 ProFTPD Improper Access Control Exploited Critical 10.0
• CVE-2025-49113 RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data Exploited Critical 9.9
• CVE-2026-24061 GNU InetUtils Argument Injection Exploited Critical 9.8
• CVE-2025-39682 Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Exploited Critical 9.8
• CVE-2024-9680 Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free Exploited Critical 9.8

All Debian Debian Linux vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-6270, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-6270, GHSA-prhq-c3gx-jhwg, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-6270.