CVE-2023-54181 (GCVE-0-2023-54181)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-12-30 12:08 – Updated: 2026-05-11 19:57
VLAI
EPSS
VEX
Title
bpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks
After we converted the capabilities of our networking-bpf program from
cap_sys_admin to cap_net_admin+cap_bpf, our networking-bpf program
failed to start. Because it failed the bpf verifier, and the error log
is "R3 pointer comparison prohibited".
A simple reproducer as follows,
SEC("cls-ingress")
int ingress(struct __sk_buff *skb)
{
struct iphdr *iph = (void *)(long)skb->data + sizeof(struct ethhdr);
if ((long)(iph + 1) > (long)skb->data_end)
return TC_ACT_STOLEN;
return TC_ACT_OK;
}
Per discussion with Yonghong and Alexei [1], comparison of two packet
pointers is not a pointer leak. This patch fixes it.
Our local kernel is 6.1.y and we expect this fix to be backported to
6.1.y, so stable is CCed.
[1]. https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAADnVQ+Nmspr7Si+pxWn8zkE7hX-7s93ugwC+94aXSy4uQ9vBg@mail.gmail.com/
Severity
No CVSS data available.
Assigner
References
Impacted products
2 products
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
Affected:
2c78ee898d8f10ae6fb2fa23a3fbaec96b1b7366 , < c96c67991aac6401b4c6996093bccb704bb2ea4b
(git)
Affected: 2c78ee898d8f10ae6fb2fa23a3fbaec96b1b7366 , < 5927f0172d2809d8fc09c1ba667280b0387e9f73 (git) Affected: 2c78ee898d8f10ae6fb2fa23a3fbaec96b1b7366 , < acfdc8b77016c8e648aadc283177546c88083dd3 (git) Affected: 2c78ee898d8f10ae6fb2fa23a3fbaec96b1b7366 , < d75e30dddf73449bc2d10bb8e2f1a2c446bc67a2 (git) |
guessed | |
| Linux | Linux |
Affected:
5.8
Unaffected: 0 , < 5.8 (semver) Unaffected: 6.1.53 , ≤ 6.1.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.4.16 , ≤ 6.4.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.5.3 , ≤ 6.5.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.6 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix) |
guessed |
{
"containers": {
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"product": "Linux",
"programFiles": [
"kernel/bpf/verifier.c"
],
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"vendor": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
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"status": "affected",
"version": "2c78ee898d8f10ae6fb2fa23a3fbaec96b1b7366",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
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"versionType": "git"
},
{
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"versionType": "git"
},
{
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{
"defaultStatus": "affected",
"product": "Linux",
"programFiles": [
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],
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "5.8"
},
{
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"status": "unaffected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
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"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.1.53",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
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"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.4.16",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
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"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.5.3",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.6",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
}
]
}
],
"cpeApplicability": [
{
"nodes": [
{
"cpeMatch": [
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.1.53",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.8",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.4.16",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.8",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
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"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.6",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.8",
"vulnerable": true
}
],
"negate": false,
"operator": "OR"
}
]
}
],
"descriptions": [
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"lang": "en",
"value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nbpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks\n\nAfter we converted the capabilities of our networking-bpf program from\ncap_sys_admin to cap_net_admin+cap_bpf, our networking-bpf program\nfailed to start. Because it failed the bpf verifier, and the error log\nis \"R3 pointer comparison prohibited\".\n\nA simple reproducer as follows,\n\nSEC(\"cls-ingress\")\nint ingress(struct __sk_buff *skb)\n{\n\tstruct iphdr *iph = (void *)(long)skb-\u003edata + sizeof(struct ethhdr);\n\n\tif ((long)(iph + 1) \u003e (long)skb-\u003edata_end)\n\t\treturn TC_ACT_STOLEN;\n\treturn TC_ACT_OK;\n}\n\nPer discussion with Yonghong and Alexei [1], comparison of two packet\npointers is not a pointer leak. This patch fixes it.\n\nOur local kernel is 6.1.y and we expect this fix to be backported to\n6.1.y, so stable is CCed.\n\n[1]. https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAADnVQ+Nmspr7Si+pxWn8zkE7hX-7s93ugwC+94aXSy4uQ9vBg@mail.gmail.com/"
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T19:57:01.011Z",
"orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"shortName": "Linux"
},
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{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c96c67991aac6401b4c6996093bccb704bb2ea4b"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5927f0172d2809d8fc09c1ba667280b0387e9f73"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/acfdc8b77016c8e648aadc283177546c88083dd3"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d75e30dddf73449bc2d10bb8e2f1a2c446bc67a2"
}
],
"title": "bpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks",
"x_generator": {
"engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
}
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
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"assignerShortName": "Linux",
"cveId": "CVE-2023-54181",
"datePublished": "2025-12-30T12:08:52.376Z",
"dateReserved": "2025-12-30T12:06:44.497Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T19:57:01.011Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"epss": {
"cve": "CVE-2023-54181",
"date": "2026-09-27",
"epss": "0.00199",
"percentile": "0.08759"
},
"nvd": {
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{
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"product": "Linux",
"programFiles": [
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],
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"versions": [
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"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
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},
{
"lessThan": "5.8",
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},
{
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"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.1.53",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.4.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.4.16",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.5.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.5.3",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.6",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
}
]
}
],
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
}
],
"cveTags": [],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nbpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks\n\nAfter we converted the capabilities of our networking-bpf program from\ncap_sys_admin to cap_net_admin+cap_bpf, our networking-bpf program\nfailed to start. Because it failed the bpf verifier, and the error log\nis \"R3 pointer comparison prohibited\".\n\nA simple reproducer as follows,\n\nSEC(\"cls-ingress\")\nint ingress(struct __sk_buff *skb)\n{\n\tstruct iphdr *iph = (void *)(long)skb-\u003edata + sizeof(struct ethhdr);\n\n\tif ((long)(iph + 1) \u003e (long)skb-\u003edata_end)\n\t\treturn TC_ACT_STOLEN;\n\treturn TC_ACT_OK;\n}\n\nPer discussion with Yonghong and Alexei [1], comparison of two packet\npointers is not a pointer leak. This patch fixes it.\n\nOur local kernel is 6.1.y and we expect this fix to be backported to\n6.1.y, so stable is CCed.\n\n[1]. https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAADnVQ+Nmspr7Si+pxWn8zkE7hX-7s93ugwC+94aXSy4uQ9vBg@mail.gmail.com/"
}
],
"id": "CVE-2023-54181",
"lastModified": "2026-06-17T06:46:57.203",
"metrics": {},
"published": "2025-12-30T13:16:06.037",
"references": [
{
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5927f0172d2809d8fc09c1ba667280b0387e9f73"
},
{
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/acfdc8b77016c8e648aadc283177546c88083dd3"
},
{
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c96c67991aac6401b4c6996093bccb704bb2ea4b"
},
{
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d75e30dddf73449bc2d10bb8e2f1a2c446bc67a2"
}
],
"sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"vulnStatus": "Deferred"
}
},
"redhat_vex": {
"aggregate_severity": "Low",
"current_release_date": "2026-06-30T10:18:44+00:00",
"cve": "CVE-2023-54181",
"id": "CVE-2023-54181",
"initial_release_date": "2023-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
"product_status:known_affected": "184",
"product_status:known_not_affected": "90",
"source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
"status": "final",
"title": "kernel: bpf: Fix issue in verifying allow_ptr_leaks",
"url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2023/cve-2023-54181.json",
"version": "3"
},
"suse_vex": {
"aggregate_severity": "moderate",
"current_release_date": "2026-09-26T16:25:28Z",
"cve": "CVE-2023-54181",
"id": "CVE-2023-54181",
"initial_release_date": "2025-12-31T00:29:07Z",
"product_status:known_affected": "569",
"product_status:known_not_affected": "248",
"product_status:recommended": "212",
"source": "SUSE CSAF VEX",
"status": "interim",
"title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2023-54181",
"url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2023-54181.json",
"version": "33"
}
}
}
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Experimental. This forecast is provided for visualization only and may change without notice. Do not use it for operational decisions.
Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
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The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the
vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base
model, served locally by ML-Gateway.
They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
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Related by attack behaviour
Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.
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