Security Resilience

CVE-2023-6546

Race Condition in Linux Kernel ≤ 6.5

Published
21 December 2023
Modified
06 August 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.0
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:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0073 53th percentile
Risk Priority 53 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2023-6546 is a high-severity Race Condition within a Thread (CWE-366) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.0 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique NTDS (T1003.003); ranked in the top 47% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A race condition was found in the GSM 0710 tty multiplexor in the Linux kernel. This issue occurs when two threads execute the GSMIOC_SETCONF ioctl on the same tty file descriptor with the gsm line discipline enabled, and can lead…

more

to a use-after-free problem on a struct gsm_dlci while restarting the gsm mux. This could allow a local unprivileged user to escalate their privileges on the system.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1003.003 NTDS Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access or create a copy of the Active Directory domain database in order to steal credential information, as well as obtain other information about domain members such as devices, users, and access rights.
T1003.004 LSA Secrets Credential Access
Adversaries with SYSTEM access to a host may attempt to access Local Security Authority (LSA) secrets, which can contain a variety of different credential materials, such as credentials for service accounts.
T1006 Direct Volume Access Stealth
Adversaries may directly access a volume to bypass file access controls and file system monitoring.
T1007 System Service Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may try to gather information about registered local system services.
T1008 Fallback Channels Command And Control
Adversaries may use fallback or alternate communication channels if the primary channel is compromised or inaccessible in order to maintain reliable command and control and to avoid data transfer thresholds.
T1010 Application Window Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of open application windows.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-4155Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-4133Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-3269Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-39198Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-39192Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-39194Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-39189Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-39193Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-3161Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-6622Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora

Affected Assets

linux
linux kernel
6.5 · ≤ 6.5
fedoraproject
fedora
39
redhat
enterprise linux
8.0, 9.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

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Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

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Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

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Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V15.4.2
  • V15.4.3
  • V17.2.6

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-362

Accurate timestamps from internal clocks enable detection of race conditions by providing reliable event ordering in audit logs.

addresses: CWE-362

Coordination of concurrent security activities reduces the probability that shared resources will be accessed simultaneously without proper synchronization.

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 partial match
blocks

Secure SDLC practices directly require synchronization primitives and concurrency analysis that prevent intra-thread race conditions.

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.

blocks

A.8.25 mandates secure SDLC practices (secure coding guidelines, security requirements, checkpoints, testing including code scans/penetration tests, and developer training) that reach race conditions in multithreaded code, but leaves a bounded remainder where implementation is incomplete or the specific synchronization flaw slips past the chosen methodology and tests.

blocks

A.8.26 only requires that race-condition-relevant requirements (e.g. thread safety, synchronization) be identified during requirements gathering; it performs no enforcement, design, or implementation act that stops the CWE-366 condition from being exploitable when present.

blocks

Secure architecture principles address concurrent access and resource synchronization.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly require proper synchronization primitives to prevent race conditions.

finds

Security testing can detect race conditions through concurrency and stress testing.

Hardening callouts derived

DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.

  • No fine-grained STIG row for CWE-362, a class-level weakness, and none of its children carries one either.

References