Host crash via unchecked XFRM replay pointers
Published Jul 25, 2023 · Updated Nov 7, 2025
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel. xfrm_new_ae permits replay update attributes when x->replay_esn and x->preplay_esn are unallocated, so xfrm_update_ae_params writes through NULL pointers. The caller must hold CAP_NET_ADMIN, and successful triggering interrupts the host without exposing or modifying data.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel. xfrm_new_ae permits replay update attributes when x->replay_esn and x->preplay_esn are unallocated, so xfrm_update_ae_params writes through NULL pointers. The caller must hold CAP_NET_ADMIN, and successful triggering interrupts the host without exposing or modifying data.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-3772
- Published
- Jul 25, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 7, 2025
- Vendor
- Red Hat
- Product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 7, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- poc1.c kernel-crash proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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