CVE Intelligence
Critical

CVE-2023-54257 — net: macb: fix a memory corruption in extended buffer descriptor mode

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: fix a memory corruption in extended buffer descriptor mode For quite some time we were chasing a bug which looked like a sudden permanent failure of networking and mmc on some of our devices. The bug was very sensitive to any software changes and even more to any kernel debug options. Finally we got a setup where the problem was reproducible with CONFIG_DMA_API_DEBUG=y and it revealed the issue with the rx dma: [ 16.992082] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 16.996779] DMA-API: macb ff0b0000.ethernet: device driver tries to free DMA memory it has not allocated [device address=0x0000000875e3e244] [size=1536 bytes] [ 17.011049] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 85 at kernel/dma/debug.c:1011 check_unmap+0x6a0/0x900 [ 17.018977] Modules linked in: xxxxx [ 17.038823] CPU: 0 PID: 85 Comm: irq/55-8000f000 Not tainted 5.4.0 #28 [ 17.045345] Hardware name: xxxxx [ 17.049528] pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO) [ 17.054322] pc : check_unmap+0x6a0/0x900 [ 17.058243] lr : check_unmap+0x6a0/0x900 [ 17.062163] sp : ffffffc010003c40 [ 17.065470] x29: ffffffc010003c40 x28: 000000004000c03c [ 17.070783] x27: ffffffc010da7048 x26: ffffff8878e38800 [ 17.076095] x25: ffffff8879d22810 x24: ffffffc010003cc8 [ 17.081407] x23: 0000000000000000 x22: ffffffc010a08750 [ 17.086719] x21: ffffff8878e3c7c0 x20: ffffffc010acb000 [ 17.092032] x19: 0000000875e3e244 x18: 0000000000000010 [ 17.097343] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 [ 17.102647] x15: ffffff8879e4a988 x14: 0720072007200720 [ 17.107959] x13: 0720072007200720 x12: 0720072007200720 [ 17.113261] x11: 0720072007200720 x10: 0720072007200720 [ 17.118565] x9 : 0720072007200720 x8 : 000000000000022d [ 17.123869] x7 : 0000000000000015 x6 : 0000000000000098 [ 17.129173] x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000000 [ 17.134475] x3 : 00000000ffffffff x2 : ffffffc010a1d370 [ 17.139778] x1 : b420c9d75d27bb00 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 17.145082] Call trace: [ 17.147524] check_unmap+0x6a0/0x900 [ 17.151091] debug_dma_unmap_page+0x88/0x90 [ 17.155266] gem_rx+0x114/0x2f0 [ 17.158396] macb_poll+0x58/0x100 [ 17.161705] net_rx_action+0x118/0x400 [ 17.165445] __do_softirq+0x138/0x36c [ 17.169100] irq_exit+0x98/0xc0 [ 17.172234] __handle_domain_irq+0x64/0xc0 [ 17.176320] gic_handle_irq+0x5c/0xc0 [ 17.179974] el1_irq+0xb8/0x140 [ 17.183109] xiic_process+0x5c/0xe30 [ 17.186677] irq_thread_fn+0x28/0x90 [ 17.190244] irq_thread+0x208/0x2a0 [ 17.193724] kthread+0x130/0x140 [ 17.196945] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 [ 17.200510] ---[ end trace 7240980785f81d6f ]--- [ 237.021490] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 237.026129] DMA-API: exceeded 7 overlapping mappings of cacheline 0x0000000021d79e7b [ 237.033886] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 0 at kernel/dma/debug.c:499 add_dma_entry+0x214/0x240 [ 237.041802] Modules linked in: xxxxx [ 237.061637] CPU: 0 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/0 Tainted: G W 5.4.0 #28 [ 237.068941] Hardware name: xxxxx [ 237.073116] pstate: 80000085 (Nzcv daIf -PAN -UAO) [ 237.077900] pc : add_dma_entry+0x214/0x240 [ 237.081986] lr : add_dma_entry+0x214/0x240 [ 237.086072] sp : ffffffc010003c30 [ 237.089379] x29: ffffffc010003c30 x28: ffffff8878a0be00 [ 237.094683] x27: 0000000000000180 x26: ffffff8878e387c0 [ 237.099987] x25: 0000000000000002 x24: 0000000000000000 [ 237.105290] x23: 000000000000003b x22: ffffffc010a0fa00 [ 237.110594] x21: 0000000021d79e7b x20: ffffffc010abe600 [ 237.115897] x19: 00000000ffffffef x18: 0000000000000010 [ 237.121201] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 [ 237.126504] x15: ffffffc010a0fdc8 x14: 0720072007200720 [ 237.131807] x13: 0720072007200720 x12: 0720072007200720 [ 237.137111] x11: 0720072007200720 x10: 0720072007200720 [ 237.142415] x9 : 0720072007200720 x8 : 0000000000000259 [ 237.147718] x7 : 0000000000000001 x6 : 0000000000000000 [ 237.15302 ---truncated---

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: Linux

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.6% (30-day exploitation probability)+7
  • Technical severity (critical)+10

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.62%
ahead of 48% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026
Affects
Linux
Linux
CVSS base
9.8
Critical · 2 source(s)

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux).
  2. The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
  3. No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
  4. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Linux Linux ≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < dd7a49a3eaf723a01b2fdf153f98450a82b0b0fe≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 82e626af24683e01211abe66cec27a387f8f17c9≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 7169d1638824c4bf7e0fe0baad381ddec861fa70≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 1bec9da233f779e7b6954ee07ad7e6d8f2a4dd83≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 7ccc58a1a75601c936069d4a0741940623990ade≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 9412a9bf5952cdf5d0f736cc1e8c68fd366c2d47≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < 5dcf3a6843d0d7cc76960fbe8511d425f217744c≥ 7b4296148066f19b5960127ba579e358df501c22 and < e8b74453555872851bdd7ea43a7c0ec39659834f
and 1 more version 4.13
Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
9.8 CVSS 3.1 Critical 3.9 5.9 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database
9.8 CVSS 3.1 Critical — — Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67)

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.62%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Affected products added · linux/linux
    Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 13, 2026
  • CVSS changed · 9.8
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Deferred
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • 2025
  • CVE published
    Dec 30, 2025 · Linux

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

8 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Linux
every CVE for this vendor

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 13h
  • CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 13h
  • CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
  • CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
  • CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
  • CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
  • No CISA SSVC assessment.
  • No CWE classification.
  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2023-54257 is "net: macb: fix a memory corruption in extended buffer descriptor mode", rated Critical. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.62% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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