Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-0045

Linux Kernel 3.16.68 – 3.17

Public PoC
Published
25 April 2023
Modified
13 February 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 4.7
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.024 83th percentile
Risk Priority 42 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-0045 is a medium-severity Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere (CWE-610) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 4.7 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 17% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The current implementation of the prctl syscall does not issue an IBPB immediately during the syscall. The ib_prctl_set function updates the Thread Information Flags (TIFs) for the task and updates the SPEC_CTRL MSR on the function __speculation_ctrl_update, but the IBPB…

more

is only issued on the next schedule, when the TIF bits are checked. This leaves the victim vulnerable to values already injected on the BTB, prior to the prctl syscall. The patch that added the support for the conditional mitigation via prctl (ib_prctl_set) dates back to the kernel 4.9.176. We recommend upgrading past commit a664ec9158eeddd75121d39c9a0758016097fa96

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-26545Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-3111Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-2124Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-2898Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-2007Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-35788Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-2269Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-0386Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2021-22600Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-1989Same product: Debian Debian Linux

Affected Assets

linux
linux kernel
3.16.68 — 3.17 · 4.4.180 — 4.5 · 4.9.176 — 4.10
debian
debian linux
10.0
netapp
active iq unified manager
all versions
netapp
h300s firmware
all versions
netapp
h500s firmware
all versions
netapp
h700s firmware
all versions
netapp
h410s firmware
all versions
netapp
h410c firmware
all versions

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-610

Limits impact of an externally controlled reference to a primary information resource by switching to an identified alternative.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly require input validation and reference sanitization that prevent externally-controlled resource references.

DE.CM-09 partial match
prevents

Runtime monitoring of software and data flows can detect anomalous external resource accesses that result from this weakness.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Network segmentation and access controls limit the blast radius when an external reference escapes its intended sphere.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing can detect instances of the weakness but does not prevent it at design or coding time.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates validation of all external references to prevent uncontrolled resource access.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against externally supplied resource identifiers.

prevents

Secure architecture principles reduce the attack surface for externally controlled references but do not prescribe specific validation rules.

prevents

Secure coding standards require input validation and canonicalization to block externally controlled resource references.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits what resources can be reached, indirectly reducing impact of external references.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-610

References