CVE-2023-53114

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i40e: Fix kernel crash during reboot when adapter is in recovery mode If the driver detects during probe that firmware is in recovery mode then i40e_init_recovery_mode() is called and the rest of probe function is skipped including pci_set_drvdata(). Subsequent i40e_shutdown() called during shutdown/reboot dereferences NULL pointer as pci_get_drvdata() returns NULL. To fix call pci_set_drvdata() also during entering to recovery mode. Reproducer: 1) Lets have i40e NIC with firmware in recovery mode 2) Run reboot Result: [ 139.084698] i40e: Intel(R) Ethernet Connection XL710 Network Driver [ 139.090959] i40e: Copyright (c) 2013 - 2019 Intel Corporation. [ 139.108438] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.116439] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.129499] i40e 0000:02:00.0: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.215932] i40e 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0f0: renamed from eth0 [ 139.223292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.231292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.244406] i40e 0000:02:00.1: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.329209] i40e 0000:02:00.1 enp2s0f1: renamed from eth0 ... [ 156.311376] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000006c2 [ 156.318330] #PF: supervisor write access in kernel mode [ 156.323546] #PF: error_code(0x0002) - not-present page [ 156.328679] PGD 0 P4D 0 [ 156.331210] Oops: 0002 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI [ 156.335567] CPU: 26 PID: 15119 Comm: reboot Tainted: G E 6.2.0+ #1 [ 156.343126] Hardware name: Abacus electric, s.r.o. - [email protected] Super Server/H12SSW-iN, BIOS 2.4 04/13/2022 [ 156.353369] RIP: 0010:i40e_shutdown+0x15/0x130 [i40e] [ 156.358430] Code: c1 fc ff ff 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 f3 0f 1e fa 0f 1f 44 00 00 55 48 89 fd 53 48 8b 9f 48 01 00 00 <f0> 80 8b c2 06 00 00 04 f0 80 8b c0 06 00 00 08 48 8d bb 08 08 00 [ 156.377168] RSP: 0018:ffffb223c8447d90 EFLAGS: 00010282 [ 156.382384] RAX: ffffffffc073ee70 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000001 [ 156.389510] RDX: 0000000080000001 RSI: 0000000000000246 RDI: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.396634] RBP: ffff95db49988000 R08: ffffffffffffffff R09: ffffffff8bd17d40 [ 156.403759] R10: 0000000000000001 R11: ffffffff8a5e3d28 R12: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.410882] R13: ffffffff89a6fe17 R14: ffff95db49988150 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 156.418007] FS: 00007fe7c0cc3980(0000) GS:ffff95ea8ee80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 156.426083] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 156.431819] CR2: 00000000000006c2 CR3: 00000003092fc005 CR4: 0000000000770ee0 [ 156.438944] PKRU: 55555554 [ 156.441647] Call Trace: [ 156.444096] <TASK> [ 156.446199] pci_device_shutdown+0x38/0x60 [ 156.450297] device_shutdown+0x163/0x210 [ 156.454215] kernel_restart+0x12/0x70 [ 156.457872] __do_sys_reboot+0x1ab/0x230 [ 156.461789] ? vfs_writev+0xa6/0x1a0 [ 156.465362] ? __pfx_file_free_rcu+0x10/0x10 [ 156.469635] ? __call_rcu_common.constprop.85+0x109/0x5a0 [ 156.475034] do_syscall_64+0x3e/0x90 [ 156.478611] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc [ 156.483658] RIP: 0033:0x7fe7bff37ab7

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-05-02
Last modified 2025-11-10
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10
Medium
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-476

CVE-2023-53114 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability

What is NULL Pointer Dereference?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 5.2 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.4.238, 5.10.176, 5.15.104, 6.1.21, 6.2.8, 6.3 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.2
Fixed in
✓ 5.4.238 5.4.x ✓ 5.10.176 5.10.x ✓ 5.15.104 5.15.x ✓ 6.1.21 6.1.x ✓ 6.2.8 6.2.x ✓ 6.3

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2023-53114 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

6 patch commits total View all on NVD

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2023-53114?

    CVE-2023-53114 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 5.2 onward and has been patched in 5.4.238, 5.10.176, 5.15.104 and others. CVE-2023-53114 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2023-53114?

    CVE-2023-53114 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2023-53114?

    Yes — CVE-2023-53114 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.4.238, 5.10.176, 5.15.104 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.2 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2023-53114 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2023-53114 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?

    The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →

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