CVE-2023-52530: linux kernel Use-After-Free — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fix potential key use-after-free When ieee80211_key_link() is called by ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add() but returns 0 due to KRACK protection (identical key reinstall), ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add() will still return a pointer into the key, in a potential use-after-free. This normally doesn't happen since it's only called by iwlwifi in case of WoWLAN rekey offload which has its own KRACK protection, but still better to fix, do that by returning an error code and converting that to success on the cfg80211 boundary only, leaving the error for bad callers of ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add().

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	4.14 — 5.4.285
linux	linux_kernel	5.5 — 5.10.288
linux	linux_kernel	5.11 — 5.15.169
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 6.1.57
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.5.7
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All

References

Advisories & Patches

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00002.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-52530? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fix potential key use-after-free When ieee80211_key_link() is called by ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add() but returns 0 due to KRACK protection (identical key reinstall), ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add() will still return a pointer into the key, in a potential use-after-free. This normally doesn't happen since it's only called by iwlwifi in case of WoWLAN rekey offload which has its own KRACK protection, but still better to fix, do that by returning an error code and converting that to success on the cfg80211 boundary only, leaving the error for bad callers of ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add(). It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2023-52530? +

CVE-2023-52530 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-52530? +

CVE-2023-52530 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-52530? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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