Local privilege escalation via failed filter replacement
Published Oct 24, 2025 · Updated Oct 24, 2025
Use-after-free in Linux kernel cls_u32 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through rtnetlink filter changes. When u32_replace_hw_knode fails, u32_set_parms leaves tcf_bind_filter's reference and class accounting in place, creating a dangling res.class pointer that htb_classify later dereferences. An unprivileged local user can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace, force the failure with skip_sw on a non-offload device, and then achieve kernel code execution or a crash.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel cls_u32 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through rtnetlink filter changes. When u32_replace_hw_knode fails, u32_set_parms leaves tcf_bind_filter's reference and class accounting in place, creating a dangling res.class pointer that htb_classify later dereferences. An unprivileged local user can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace, force the failure with skip_sw on a non-offload device, and then achieve kernel code execution or a crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-53733
- Published
- Oct 24, 2025
- Updated
- Oct 24, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 24, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.7
- Affected versionversion=d34e3e181395192d6d1f50dd97bd7854e04e33a4 <025159ed118ba5145b241d574edadb0e00d3c20f
- Affected versionversion=d34e3e181395192d6d1f50dd97bd7854e04e33a4 <9cb36faedeafb9720ac236aeae2ea57091d90a09
- Affected versionversion=d34e3e181395192d6d1f50dd97bd7854e04e33a4 <a9345793469b65ee5ba7b033239916c2a67d3dd4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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