Network protocol issue in the Linux kernel bonding driver

CVE-2023-53601

What is CVE-2023-53601?

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's bonding driver, where it incorrectly assumes that socket buffer (skb) headers are always set. This can lead to improper behavior during packet transmission and potentially expose systems to security risks. Drivers utilizing the ndo_start_xmit() function should not rely on the skb->mac_header being initialized, as the actual skb->data is sufficient for processing. This oversight has been highlighted by syzbot logs and emphasizes the need for immediate updates to affected kernel versions to mitigate potential exploits.

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