CVE-2023-31248: Linux Kernel nftables Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Modified

AliasesUBUNTU-CVE-2023-31248DEBIAN-CVE-2023-31248

Published 05-07-2023Last modified 05-03-2025

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-31248 is a high (CVSS 7.8) Use After Free vulnerability in canonical ubuntu_linux. EPSS estimates a 1.89% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 79.5% of scored vulnerabilities.

Priority

Routine

Not severe (CVSS 7.8, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?

CVSS score

7.8/10

010

High · v3.1 (CVE.org)

EPSS score

1.89%

0%100%

Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days

KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.

RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.

Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 50 · Related 38

DLA-3512-1 DSA-5453-1 LSN-0096-1 LSN-0097-1 MGASA-2023-0237 MGASA-2023-0243+44 more

Timeline

05-07-2023
PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
05-03-2025
Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Linux Kernel nftables Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability; `nft_chain_lookup_byid()` failed to check whether a chain was active and CAP_NET_ADMIN is in any user or network namespace

CVSS metrics

4 scores · 4 sources · 1 version

v3.17.8

EPSS trend

Probability

1.89%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

80%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 1.89% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs

CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Ubuntu87 products

linux< 5.15.0-78.85
linux-aws< 5.15.0-1040.45
linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-aws-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)

linux-aws-5.15< 5.15.0-1040.45~20.04.1
linux-aws-5.19< 5.19.0-1029.30~22.04.1
linux-aws-5.3All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-aws-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-aws-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azureAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-1042.49
linux-azure-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-5.15< 5.15.0-1042.49~20.04.1
linux-azure-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-5.3All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-edgeAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-fde< 5.15.0-1042.49.1
linux-azure-fde-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-azure-fde-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-bluefield< 5.15.0-1021.23
linux-fipsAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gcpAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-1038.46
linux-gcp-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gcp-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gcp-5.15< 5.15.0-1038.46~20.04.1
linux-gcp-5.19< 5.19.0-1030.32~22.04.1
linux-gcp-5.3All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gcp-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gcp-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gke< 5.15.0-1038.43
linux-gke-4.15All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gke-5.15< 5.15.0-1038.43~20.04.1
linux-gke-5.4All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-gkeop< 5.15.0-1024.29
linux-gkeop-5.15< 5.15.0-1024.29~20.04.1
linux-gkeop-5.4All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-hweAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-hwe-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-hwe-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-hwe-5.15< 5.15.0-78.85~20.04.1
linux-hwe-5.19< 5.19.0-50.50
linux-hwe-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-hwe-6.2< 6.2.0-26.26~22.04.1
linux-hwe-edgeAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-ibm< 5.15.0-1034.37
linux-intel-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-intel-iot-realtime< 5.15.0-1035.37
linux-intel-iotg< 5.15.0-1036.41
linux-intel-iotg-5.15< 5.15.0-1036.41~20.04.1
linux-kvm< 5.15.0-1038.43
linux-lowlatency< 5.15.0-78.85
linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15< 5.15.0-78.85~20.04.1
linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-nvidia< 5.15.0-1029.29
linux-nvidia-6.2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-nvidia-tegra< 5.15.0-1016.16
linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15< 5.15.0-1016.16~20.04.1
linux-nvidia-tegra-igx< 5.15.0-1002.2
linux-oemAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oem-5.10All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oem-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oem-5.14All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oem-5.17< 5.17.0-1035.36
linux-oem-5.6All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oem-6.0< 6.0.0-1020.20
linux-oem-6.1< 6.1.0-1019.19
linux-oracle< 5.15.0-1039.45
linux-oracle-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oracle-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oracle-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oracle-5.15< 5.15.0-1039.45~20.04.1
linux-oracle-5.3All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-oracle-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-raspi< 5.15.0-1034.37
linux-raspi-realtimeAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-raspi2All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-realtimeAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-1042.47
linux-riscvAll versions (No fix recorded)
linux-riscv-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-riscv-5.15< 5.15.0-1037.41~20.04.2
linux-riscv-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-riscv-5.8All versions (No fix recorded)
linux-xilinx-zynqmp< 5.15.0-1025.29

Show all 87

Debian2 products

linux< 6.1.38-1 | < 6.4.4-1
debian_linuxEOL11.0

Canonical1 product

ubuntu_linuxEOL14.04 | 16.04 | 18.04 | 20.04 | 22.04

Fedoraproject1 product

fedoraEOL37 | 38

Linux1 product

linux_kernelv5.9-rc1 | ≥ 5.9, < 5.10.188 | ≥ 5.11, < 5.15.121 | ≥ 5.16, < 6.1.39 | ≥ 6.2, < 6.4.4

5 vendors · 92 products

References

21 links

lore.kernel.org/netfilter-devel/20230705121627.GC19489@breakpoint.cc/T/Issue TrackingREPORTPatch
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/05/2Mailing ListREPORT
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/05/2Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5453Third Party Advisory
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/…Mailing List
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/…Mailing List
packetstormsecurity.com/files/173757/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0096-1.htmlThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00001.htmlThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
packetstormsecurity.com/files/174577/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0097-1.htmlThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240201-0001/

Show all 21 references

ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-31248REPORT
www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-899/REPORT
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6246-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6247-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6248-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6250-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6255-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6260-1Advisory
ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6285-1Advisory
www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-31248REPORT
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-31248Advisory