Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-39198

Memory Safety in Linux Kernel ≤ 6.5

Published
09 November 2023
Modified
24 March 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0042 35th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-39198 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, ranked at the 35th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A race condition was found in the QXL driver in the Linux kernel. The qxl_mode_dumb_create() function dereferences the qobj returned by the qxl_gem_object_create_with_handle(), but the handle is the only one holding a reference to it. This flaw allows an attacker…

more

to guess the returned handle value and trigger a use-after-free issue, potentially leading to a denial of service or privilege escalation.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-4133Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-3269Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-5345Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2024-0775Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-4134Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2024-1312Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2024-0562Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-4387Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-2513Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-1192Same product: Linux Linux Kernel

Affected Assets

linux
linux kernel
6.5 · ≤ 6.5
fedoraproject
fedora
38
redhat
enterprise linux
8.0, 9.0

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