CVE-2023-5972

Local privilege escalation or crash via unchecked attributes

Published Nov 23, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Null pointer dereferences in Linux kernel netfilter allow local users to escalate privileges or crash the system through crafted netlink rules. nft_inner_init and nft_expr_inner_parse access missing NFTA_INNER_NUM and NFTA_EXPR_NAME attributes before validating their presence, passing null pointers into parsing paths. Low-privileged local access is required; successful exploitation yields elevated privileges or a kernel crash.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereferences in Linux kernel netfilter allow local users to escalate privileges or crash the system through crafted netlink rules. nft_inner_init and nft_expr_inner_parse access missing NFTA_INNER_NUM and NFTA_EXPR_NAME attributes before validating their presence, passing null pointers into parsing paths. Low-privileged local access is required; successful exploitation yields elevated privileges or a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5972
Published
Nov 23, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Fedora Project
Product
Fedora Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 23, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 2024Record 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?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Fedora Project · Fedora LinuxAffected versions are unavailable in this record.
The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux KernelAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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