Local privilege escalation via dangling nftables set
Published Jun 28, 2023 · Updated Jul 22, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel netfilter subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted nftables batch requests. In nf_tables_newrule(), the error path releases an anonymous nft_set without deactivating its transaction entry, leaving a dangling set pointer reusable later in the same batch. The attack requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user or network namespace; successful exploitation grants kernel-level code execution, while failed exploitation can crash the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel netfilter subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted nftables batch requests. In nf_tables_newrule(), the error path releases an anonymous nft_set without deactivating its transaction entry, leaving a dangling set pointer reusable later in the same batch. The attack requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user or network namespace; successful exploitation grants kernel-level code execution, while failed exploitation can crash the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-3390
- Published
- Jun 28, 2023
- Updated
- Jul 22, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.16 <4.14.322
- Affected versionversion=4.15 <4.19.291
- Affected versionversion=4.20 <5.4.251
- Affected versionversion=5.11 <5.15.118
- Affected versionversion=5.16 <6.1.35
- Affected versionversion=5.5 <5.10.188
- Affected versionversion=6.2 <6.3.9
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
- Google kernelCTF CVE-2023-3390 exploitfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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