KEVWire

Security intelligence, with context.

Response snapshot Oct 28, 2026, 20:06 UTC

Back to the wire
Permalink
VulnerabilityCVE-2023-54200

Linux kernel: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier This reverts "netfilter: nf_tables: skip netdev events generated on netns removal".

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.8 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
Not estimated
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2023-54200 (opens a new tab)

What happened

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier

This reverts "netfilter: nf_tables: skip netdev events generated on netns removal".

The problem is that when a veth device is released, the veth release callback will also queue the peer netns device for removal.

Continue reading

Its possible that the peer netns is also slated for removal. In this case, the device memory is already released before the pre_exit hook of the peer netns runs:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in nf_hook_entry_head+0x1b8/0x1d0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88812c0124f0 by task kworker/u8:1/45 Workqueue: netns cleanup_net Call Trace: nf_hook_entry_head+0x1b8/0x1d0 __nf_unregister_net_hook+0x76/0x510 nft_netdev_unregister_hooks+0xa0/0x220 __nft_release_hook+0x184/0x490 nf_tables_pre_exit_net+0x12f/0x1b0 ..

Order is: 1. First netns is released, veth_dellink() queues peer netns device for removal 2. peer netns is queued for removal 3. peer netns device is released, unreg event is triggered 4. unreg event is ignored because netns is going down 5. pre_exit hook calls nft_netdev_unregister_hooks but device memory might be free'd already.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.8

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

Not available

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2023-54200 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 28). Linux kernel: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier (CVE-2023-54200). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-54200

MLA

"Linux kernel: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier (CVE-2023-54200)." KEVWire, 28 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-54200.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Linux kernel: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier (CVE-2023-54200)." Last modified October 28, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-54200.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Linux kernel: netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier (Dec 30, 2025).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nf_tables: always release netdev hooks from notifier

This reverts "netfilter: nf_tables: skip netdev events generated on netns removal".

The problem is that when a veth device is released, the veth release
callback will also queue the peer netns device for removal.

Its possible that the peer netns is also slated for removal.
CVSS 7.8 (version 3.1; evidence as of Oct 28, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54200).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2023-54200: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54200
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-28T18:31:08.168Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-28T20:05:58.019Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-28T17:55:58.678Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-28T19:30:56.852Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
Record ID: CVE-2023-54200.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 28, 2026, 20:05 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Deferred. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

Record JSON

Your account

Email alerts

Email alerts are coming as part of KEVWire Premium: join the waitlist. To follow your stack today, use its RSS feed, which honors your filters, or connect an AI agent through the API.

Suggest an improvement

Ideas, missing sources, corrections, and bugs are all welcome. No account needed. Suggestions are reviewed by a person before anything changes.

Record details

Record detail