CVE-2023-53198: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: raw: Fix NULL deref in raw_get

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: raw: Fix NULL deref in raw_get_next().

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: raw: Fix NULL deref in raw_get_next(). Dae R. Jeong reported a NULL deref in raw_get_next() [0]. It seems that the repro was running these sequences in parallel so that one thread was iterating on a socket that was being freed in another netns. unshare(0x40060200) r0 = syz_open_procfs(0x0, &(0x7f0000002080)='net/raw\x00') socket$inet_icmp_raw(0x2, 0x3, 0x1) pread64(r0, &(0x7f0000000000)=""/10, 0xa, 0x10000000007f) After commit 0daf07e52709 ("raw: convert raw sockets to RCU"), we use RCU and hlist_nulls_for_each_entry() to iterate over SOCK_RAW sockets. However, we should use spinlock for slow paths to avoid the NULL deref. Also, SOCK_RAW does not use SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU, and the slab object is not reused during iteration in the grace period. In fact, the lockless readers do not check the nulls marker with get_nulls_value(). So, SOCK_RAW should use hlist instead of hlist_nulls. Instead of adding an unnecessary barrier by sk_nulls_for_each_rcu(), let's convert hlist_nulls to hlist and use sk_for_each_rcu() for fast paths and sk_for_each() and spinlock for /proc/net/raw. [0]: general protection faul

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.16%, higher than 4% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored November 6, 2026, updated daily.

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Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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