{"id":"CVE-2023-54074","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"net/mlx5e: Use correct encap attribute during invalidation","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet/mlx5e: Use correct encap attribute during invalidation\n\nWith introduction of post action infrastructure most of the users of encap\nattribute had been modified in order to obtain the correct attribute by\ncalling mlx5e_tc_get_encap_attr() helper instead of assuming encap action\nis always on default attribute. However, the cited commit didn't modify\nmlx5e_invalidate_encap() which prevents it from destroying correct modify\nheader action which leads to a warning [0]. Fix the issue by using correct\nattribute.\n\n[0]:\n\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: WARNING: CPU: 17 PID: 654 at drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c:684 mlx5e_tc_attach_mod_hdr+0x1cc/0x230 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: RIP: 0010:mlx5e_tc_attach_mod_hdr+0x1cc/0x230 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: Call Trace:\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  <TASK>\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  mlx5e_tc_fib_event_work+0x8e3/0x1f60 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? mlx5e_take_all_encap_flows+0xe0/0xe0 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lock_downgrade+0x6d0/0x6d0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x273/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x273/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  process_one_work+0x7c2/0x1310\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x3f0/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? pwq_dec_nr_in_flight+0x230/0x230\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? rwlock_bug.part.0+0x90/0x90\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  worker_thread+0x59d/0xec0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? __kthread_parkme+0xd9/0x1d0","publishedAt":"2025-12-24T12:23:16.920Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-05T09:16:58.648Z","severity":{"score":7.8,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609","versionType":"git"},{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_tun_encap.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"5.18","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"5.18","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.31","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.3.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.4","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_tun_encap.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:06:42.242Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2023/54xxx/CVE-2023-54074.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2023-54074","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2025-12-24T12:23:16.920Z","dateUpdated":"2026-08-05T09:16:58.648Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2025-12-24T12:21:05.093Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"net/mlx5e: Use correct encap attribute during invalidation","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet/mlx5e: Use correct encap attribute during invalidation\n\nWith introduction of post action infrastructure most of the users of encap\nattribute had been modified in order to obtain the correct attribute by\ncalling mlx5e_tc_get_encap_attr() helper instead of assuming encap action\nis always on default attribute. However, the cited commit didn't modify\nmlx5e_invalidate_encap() which prevents it from destroying correct modify\nheader action which leads to a warning [0]. Fix the issue by using correct\nattribute.\n\n[0]:\n\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: WARNING: CPU: 17 PID: 654 at drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c:684 mlx5e_tc_attach_mod_hdr+0x1cc/0x230 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: RIP: 0010:mlx5e_tc_attach_mod_hdr+0x1cc/0x230 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel: Call Trace:\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  <TASK>\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  mlx5e_tc_fib_event_work+0x8e3/0x1f60 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? mlx5e_take_all_encap_flows+0xe0/0xe0 [mlx5_core]\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lock_downgrade+0x6d0/0x6d0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x273/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x273/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  process_one_work+0x7c2/0x1310\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x3f0/0x3f0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? pwq_dec_nr_in_flight+0x230/0x230\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? rwlock_bug.part.0+0x90/0x90\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  worker_thread+0x59d/0xec0\nFeb 21 09:47:35 c-237-177-40-045 kernel:  ? __kthread_parkme+0xd9/0x1d0"}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609","versionType":"git"},{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"8300f225268be9ee2c0daf5a3f23929fcdcbf213","status":"affected","lessThan":"be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_tun_encap.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"5.18","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"5.18","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.31","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.3.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.4","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_tun_encap.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00959a1bad58e4b6c14a2729f84d354255073609"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b8b4292fdd8818ab43b943b6717811651f51e39f"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be071cdb167fc3e25fe81922166b3d499d23e8ac"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":7.8,"baseSeverity":"HIGH"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:L - The vulnerable path requires locally installed offloaded tc flower rules on an mlx5 representor in switchdev mode, and is driven by local FIB/route notifier events rather than by processing attacker-supplied packets. There is no remote packet-parsing path into `mlx5e_invalidate_encap()`.\nAC:L - No race or unpredictable state is involved — any flow whose encap action sits on a post-action attribute (encap combined with CT/sample, the standard OVS-offload configuration) deterministically takes the wrong-attribute path on every route invalidation. Route flaps that trigger it are freely repeatable.\nPR:L - Installing the offloaded tc flower encap+CT rules and changing routes requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, which per kernel CNA convention is scored as low privilege rather than full root. No further authentication gate exists past that point.\nUI:N - Once the offloaded flows exist, the bug fires automatically from the FIB notifier workqueue on a route replace or delete. No victim action is needed.\nS:U - The corruption and crash are confined to the kernel's own security authority; although incorrect eswitch steering rules can affect VF traffic separation, the vulnerable and impacted components share the same kernel privilege domain.\nC:H - The real encap attribute retains `MLX5_ESW_DEST_ENCAP_VALID` with a dangling pointer to the freed `pkt_reformat` object, and that stale pointer is consumed by `esw_setup_vport_dest()`/`mlx5_cmd_set_fte()` — a use-after-free read of reallocated heap contents that can also cause packets to be encapsulated/steered with stale headers, leaking data across vports.\nI:H - The use-after-free plus the overwritten `attr->mh` and cleared `modify_hdr` let attacker-controlled reallocated heap contents drive hardware flow-steering programming, and rules are reinstalled without their intended header rewrite, corrupting eswitch forwarding state.\nA:H - The path yields a `WARN_ON()` splat (fatal under panic_on_warn), a NULL pointer dereference of `modify_hdr->id` during reoffload, and an unbounded per-flap leak of mod-header handles and firmware contexts that eventually breaks all rule offload."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-05T09:16:58.648Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.18","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.31"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.18","versionEndExcluding":"6.3.5"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.18","versionEndExcluding":"6.4"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}}}}}