Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-3111

Memory Safety in Linux Kernel 2.6.31 – 4.14.318

Published
05 June 2023
Modified
23 April 2025
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0044 36th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-3111 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked at the 36th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A use after free vulnerability was found in prepare_to_relocate in fs/btrfs/relocation.c in btrfs in the Linux Kernel. This possible flaw can be triggered by calling btrfs_ioctl_balance() before calling btrfs_ioctl_defrag().

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-1989Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-33250Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-1838Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-3390Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-3141Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-4004Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2023-35828Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-35826Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2024-56171Same product: Netapp H300S
CVE-2023-35829Same product: Linux Linux Kernel

Affected Assets

linux
linux kernel
2.6.31 — 4.14.318 · 4.15 — 4.19.286 · 4.20 — 5.4.247
debian
debian linux
10.0, 11.0
netapp
h300s firmware
all versions
netapp
h410c firmware
all versions
netapp
h410s firmware
all versions
netapp
h500s firmware
all versions
netapp
h700s 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 · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.4.3

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-416

Use-after-free exploits that achieve arbitrary code execution are blocked or significantly hardened by non-executable pages and ASLR.

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 SDLC practices directly incorporate memory-safety tooling and reviews that prevent most use-after-free defects.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes can discover use-after-free issues via scanning or analysis but do not prevent their introduction.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching removes known use-after-free instances after they have been introduced in released software.

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.

detects

Security testing in development can detect use-after-free bugs before release.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates memory-safety practices that reduce use-after-free defects.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify memory-management rules that mitigate use-after-free.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include memory-safety design choices that limit use-after-free exposure.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe avoidance of use-after-free patterns.

prevents

Change-management processes help ensure memory-safety fixes are deployed consistently.

References