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🛡️ CVE-2023-6817 — linux-kernel

🟠 CVSS 7.8 — High ✅ No Known Exploit CWE-416 NVD
7.8
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter: nf_tables component can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation.

The function nft_pipapo_walk did not skip inactive elements during set walk which could lead double deactivations of PIPAPO (Pile Packet Policies) elements, leading to use-after-free.

We recommend upgrading past commit 317eb9685095678f2c9f5a8189de698c5354316a.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Integrity impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Weakness class

CVE-2023-6817 is classified as CWE-416: Use After Free. Memory is used after being released, so its contents may already belong to something else.

Affected software

CVE-2023-6817 is recorded against 1 package.

  • linux-kernel

Timeline and source

Published on 18 December 2023 and last revised on 17 June 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

packetstormsecurity.com
www.openwall.com
www.openwall.com
git.kernel.org
kernel.dance
lists.debian.org
packetstormsecurity.com
www.openwall.com
www.openwall.com
git.kernel.org
kernel.dance
lists.debian.org
cert-portal.siemens.com
cert-portal.siemens.com

Other advisories for this package

linux-kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Same weakness in other software

These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-416: Use After Free) in other software:

CVE-2023-6817 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity HIGH
CVSS Score 7.8
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE CWE-416
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2023-12-18
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-06-17

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
linux-kernel — —

References

Similar Threats

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ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

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