CVE-2023-52772

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: af_unix: fix use-after-free in unix_stream_read_actor() syzbot reported the following crash [1] After releasing unix socket lock, u->oob_skb can be changed by another thread. We must temporarily increase skb refcount to make sure this other thread will not free the skb under us. [1] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in unix_stream_read_actor+0xa7/0xc0 net/unix/af_unix.c:2866 Read of size 4 at addr ffff88801f3b9cc4 by task syz-executor107/5297 CPU: 1 PID: 5297 Comm: syz-executor107 Not tainted 6.6.0-syzkaller-15910-gb8e3a87a627b #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 10/09/2023 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0xd9/0x1b0 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:364 [inline] print_report+0xc4/0x620 mm/kasan/report.c:475 kasan_report+0xda/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:588 unix_stream_read_actor+0xa7/0xc0 net/unix/af_unix.c:2866 unix_stream_recv_urg net/unix/af_unix.c:2587 [inline] unix_stream_read_generic+0x19a5/0x2480 net/unix/af_unix.c:2666 unix_stream_recvmsg+0x189/0x1b0 net/unix/af_unix.c:2903 sock_recvmsg_nosec net/socket.c:1044 [inline] sock_recvmsg+0xe2/0x170 net/socket.c:1066 ____sys_recvmsg+0x21f/0x5c0 net/socket.c:2803 ___sys_recvmsg+0x115/0x1a0 net/socket.c:2845 __sys_recvmsg+0x114/0x1e0 net/socket.c:2875 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:51 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x3f/0x110 arch/x86/entry/common.c:82 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0x6b RIP: 0033:0x7fc67492c559 Code: 28 00 00 00 75 05 48 83 c4 28 c3 e8 51 18 00 00 90 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 b0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fc6748ab228 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002f RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000000000000001c RCX: 00007fc67492c559 RDX: 0000000040010083 RSI: 0000000020000140 RDI: 0000000000000004 RBP: 00007fc6749b6348 R08: 00007fc6748ab6c0 R09: 00007fc6748ab6c0 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007fc6749b6340 R13: 00007fc6749b634c R14: 00007ffe9fac52a0 R15: 00007ffe9fac5388 </TASK> Allocated by task 5295: kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x50 mm/kasan/common.c:45 kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30 mm/kasan/common.c:52 __kasan_slab_alloc+0x81/0x90 mm/kasan/common.c:328 kasan_slab_alloc include/linux/kasan.h:188 [inline] slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slab.h:763 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:3478 [inline] kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x180/0x3c0 mm/slub.c:3523 __alloc_skb+0x287/0x330 net/core/skbuff.c:641 alloc_skb include/linux/skbuff.h:1286 [inline] alloc_skb_with_frags+0xe4/0x710 net/core/skbuff.c:6331 sock_alloc_send_pskb+0x7e4/0x970 net/core/sock.c:2780 sock_alloc_send_skb include/net/sock.h:1884 [inline] queue_oob net/unix/af_unix.c:2147 [inline] unix_stream_sendmsg+0xb5f/0x10a0 net/unix/af_unix.c:2301 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0xd5/0x180 net/socket.c:745 ____sys_sendmsg+0x6ac/0x940 net/socket.c:2584 ___sys_sendmsg+0x135/0x1d0 net/socket.c:2638 __sys_sendmsg+0x117/0x1e0 net/socket.c:2667 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:51 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x3f/0x110 arch/x86/entry/common.c:82 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0x6b Freed by task 5295: kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x50 mm/kasan/common.c:45 kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30 mm/kasan/common.c:52 kasan_save_free_info+0x2b/0x40 mm/kasan/generic.c:522 ____kasan_slab_free mm/kasan/common.c:236 [inline] ____kasan_slab_free+0x15b/0x1b0 mm/kasan/common.c:200 kasan_slab_free include/linux/kasan.h:164 [inline] slab_free_hook mm/slub.c:1800 [inline] slab_free_freelist_hook+0x114/0x1e0 mm/slub.c:1826 slab_free mm/slub.c:3809 [inline] kmem_cache_free+0xf8/0x340 mm/slub.c:3831 kfree_skbmem+0xef/0x1b0 net/core/skbuff.c:1015 __kfree_skb net/core/skbuff.c:1073 [inline] consume_skb net/core/skbuff.c:1288 [inline] consume_skb+0xdf/0x170 net/core/skbuff.c:1282 queue_oob net/unix/af_unix.c:2178 [inline] u ---truncated---

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2024-05-21 16:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-08-04 10:18 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2024-05-21 16:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-08-04 10:18 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-416 · Use after free

Record status

Modified

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.15.140
• Linux Kernel < 6.1.64
• Linux Kernel < 6.5.13
• Linux Kernel < 6.6.3

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.8

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

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