CVE-2023-54074

Eswitch state corruption via wrong encapsulation attribute

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux mlx5e traffic-control path allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to corrupt eswitch forwarding state. mlx5e_invalidate_encap() selects the default encapsulation attribute instead of the post-action attribute, leaving stale object references and the intended modify-header action intact. The path requires an mlx5 representor in switchdev mode with offloaded encapsulation plus CT or sampling rules; route invalidation can leak cross-vport data, misdirect traffic, or crash the kernel.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux mlx5e traffic-control path allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to corrupt eswitch forwarding state. mlx5e_invalidate_encap() selects the default encapsulation attribute instead of the post-action attribute, leaving stale object references and the intended modify-header action intact. The path requires an mlx5 representor in switchdev mode with offloaded encapsulation plus CT or sampling rules; route invalidation can leak cross-vport data, misdirect traffic, or crash the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54074
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609
  3. Affected versionversion=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f
  4. Affected versionversion=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609; version=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f; version=8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213 <be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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