CVE-2023-52698

Local service interruption via leaked CALIPSO allocations

Published May 17, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through crafted CALIPSO NetLabel messages. When IPv6 is disabled at boot, netlbl_calipso_ops_get() returns NULL, but netlbl_calipso_add_pass() still allocates doi_def without calling calipso_doi_free(). The boot-time IPv6 setting and local Netlink access are required, and repeated requests can consume memory until service is interrupted.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through crafted CALIPSO NetLabel messages. When IPv6 is disabled at boot, netlbl_calipso_ops_get() returns NULL, but netlbl_calipso_add_pass() still allocates doi_def without calling calipso_doi_free(). The boot-time IPv6 setting and local Netlink access are required, and repeated requests can consume memory until service is interrupted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52698
Published
May 17, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 17, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.8
  2. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <321b3a5592c8a9d6b654c7c64833ea67dbb33149
  3. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <36e19f84634aaa94f543fedc0a07588949638d53
  4. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <408bbd1e1746fe33e51f4c81c2febd7d3841d031
  5. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <44a88650ba55e6a7f2ec485d2c2413ba7e216f01
  6. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <9a8f811a146aa2a0230f8edb2e9f4b6609aab8da
  7. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <a4529a08d3704c17ea9c7277d180e46b99250ded
  8. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <ec4e9d630a64df500641892f4e259e8149594a99
  9. Affected versionversion=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <f14d36e6e97fe935a20e0ceb159c100f90b6627c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.8; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <321b3a5592c8a9d6b654c7c64833ea67dbb33149; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <36e19f84634aaa94f543fedc0a07588949638d53; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <408bbd1e1746fe33e51f4c81c2febd7d3841d031; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <44a88650ba55e6a7f2ec485d2c2413ba7e216f01; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <9a8f811a146aa2a0230f8edb2e9f4b6609aab8da; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <a4529a08d3704c17ea9c7277d180e46b99250ded; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <ec4e9d630a64df500641892f4e259e8149594a99; version=cb72d38211eacda2dd90b09540542b6582da614e <f14d36e6e97fe935a20e0ceb159c100f90b6627c

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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