CVE-2023-54035

netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter

HIGH

7.8

CVSS Score

Published: December 24, 2025 at 10:56 AM UTC

Updated: August 5, 2026 at 10:24 AM UTC

1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

Using Linux by Linux?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect Linux - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available

Start Free Sign In

Severity

HIGH7.8

Exploit prediction

EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in chain reference counter Set element addition error path decrements reference counter on chains twice: once on element release and again via nft_data_release(). Then, d6b478666ffa ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix underflow in object reference counter") incorrectly fixed this by removing the stateful object reference count decrement. Restore the stateful object decrement as in b91d90368837 ("netfilter: nf_tables: fix leaking object reference count") and let nft_data_release() decrement the chain reference counter, so this is done only once.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Linux Kernel · Linux

95%

v ≥ 4.19.316v ≥ 5.10.188v ≥ 5.15.121v ≥ 5.4.262v ≥ 6.3.104.19.316 ≤ v < 4.205.10.188 ≤ v < 5.115.15.121 ≤ v < 5.165.4.262 ≤ v < 5.56.3.10 ≤ v < 6.46.4 ≤ v < 6.4.46.4 ≤ v < 6.525aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f835651fde1a7bb54dde0a46d35cd0d7136869ae863c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f504.19.316 5.10.188 5.15.121 5.4.262 6.3.10 6.4628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41

Vendor states this is fixed in 9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0 (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59 (fixed)

Affected range stops below 4.20, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 5.11, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 5.16, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 5.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4 (unaffected)

Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4.4 (unaffected)

Vendor states this is fixed in 6.5 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

References (3)

Source: cverecord

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0

Source: cverecord

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c

Source: cverecord

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59

CVSS

7.8HIGHLinux

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusDEFERRED

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Create account Sign in

Free plan, no card