CVE-2023-6817 — Use-after-free in Linux kernel's netfilter: nf_tables component
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.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+4
- Technical severity (high)+6
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.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — kernel.dance (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
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.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 5.6 and < 5.10.204≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.143≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.68≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.7version 6.7-rc1version 6.7-rc2version 6.7-rc3version 6.7-rc4 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 5.6 and < 6.7 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | cve-coordination@google.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Google via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/kernel
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2023
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
10 on the record
- kernel.dance/317eb9685095678f2c9f5a8189de698c5354316a
- git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/22/6
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6817
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/01/msg00005.html
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/177029/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0100-1.html
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/22/13
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-j5r4-2mjg-6xcc
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-98164 KVM: x86/mmu: Check write tracking in all address spaces 16d
- High CVE-2026-98163 cgroup: Avoid iteration of dying tasks with zero refcount 19d
- Medium CVE-2026-98162 smb/server: fix tree connection leak in smb2_tree_connect() 20d
- Medium CVE-2026-98160 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8723bs… 20d
- Medium CVE-2026-98161 Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions in Linux Linux Kernel 20d
- Medium CVE-2026-100079 Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime in Linux Linux Kernel 20d
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 CISA SSVC assessment.
- 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-2023-6817 is "Use-after-free in Linux kernel's netfilter: nf_tables component", rated High. It affects Linux Kernel (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.33% 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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