CVE-2023-52596

Name: CVE-2023-52596
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2024-03-06T07:15:09.657+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.23%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2023-52596 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sysctl: Fix out of bounds access for empty sysctl registers When registering tables to the sysctl subsystem there is a check to see if header is a permanently empty directory (used for mounts). This check evaluates the first element of the ctl_table. EPSS estimates a 0.23% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sysctl: Fix out of bounds access for empty sysctl registers When registering tables to the sysctl subsystem there is a check to see if header is a permanently empty directory (used for mounts). This check evaluates the first element of the ctl_table. This results in an out of bounds evaluation when registering empty directories. The function register_sysctl_mount_point now passes a ctl_table of size 1 instead of size 0. It now relies solely on the type to identify a permanently empty register. Make sure that the ctl_table has at least one element before testing for permanent emptiness.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.23%

13.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-787

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 6.6.16
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.7, < 6.7.4

References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15893975e9e382f8294ea8d926f08dc2d8d39edeMailing List, Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ae7081bc10123b187e36a4f3a8e53768de31489Mailing List, Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/315552310c7de92baea4e570967066569937a843Mailing List, Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15893975e9e382f8294ea8d926f08dc2d8d39edeMailing List, Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ae7081bc10123b187e36a4f3a8e53768de31489Mailing List, Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/315552310c7de92baea4e570967066569937a843Mailing List, Patch

Timeline

Published: Mar 6, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-52596?

How severe is CVE-2023-52596?

CVE-2023-52596 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.23% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-52596?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2023-52596?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST