# CVE-2023-5178: Kernel: use after free in nvmet_tcp_free_crypto in nvme

Status: published. Published: 2023-11-01. Updated: 2026-11-07.

A use-after-free vulnerability was found in drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c` in `nvmet_tcp_free_crypto` due to a logical bug in the NVMe/TCP subsystem in the Linux kernel. This issue may allow a malicious user to cause a use-after-free and double-free problem, which may permit remote code execution or lead to local privilege escalation.

## Remediation

- workaround: Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability. (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (kernel-rt): ≥ 0:4.18.0-513.9.1.rt7.311.el8_9; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-513.9.1.el8_9; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-193.128.1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update Service (kernel-rt): ≥ 0:4.18.0-193.128.1.rt13.179.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update Service (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-193.128.1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-193.128.1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-305.114.1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Service (kernel-rt): ≥ 0:4.18.0-305.114.1.rt7.190.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Service (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-305.114.1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-305.114.1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-477.43.1.el8_8; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (kernel): ≥ 0:5.14.0-362.18.1.el9_3; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:5.14.0-70.85.1.el9_0; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support (kernel-rt): ≥ 0:5.14.0-70.85.1.rt21.156.el9_0; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support (kernel): ≥ 0:5.14.0-284.40.1.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support (kernel-rt): ≥ 0:5.14.0-284.40.1.rt14.325.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support (kpatch-patch): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (kernel): ≥ 0:4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (kernel): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (kernel): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (kernel-rt): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (kernel-rt): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Siemens / RUGGEDCOM RST2428P: ≥ 0; < * (unaffected, custom). Source: ADP: siemens-SADP
- Siemens / SCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 family: ≥ 0; < * (unaffected, custom). Source: ADP: siemens-SADP
- Siemens / SCALANCE XCM-/XRM-/XCH-/XRH-300 family: ≥ 0; < * (unaffected, custom). Source: ADP: siemens-SADP
- Siemens / SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem: ≥ 0; < V1.1 (affected, custom). Source: ADP: siemens-SADP

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 8.8 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 9.62% as of 2026-11-07; percentile 95.51%

- SSVC: Not available

- Weaknesses: CWE-416

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7370 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7379 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7418 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7548 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7549 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7551 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7554 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7557 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7559 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0340 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0378 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0386 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0412 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0431 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0432 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0461 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0554 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0575 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1268 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1269 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1278 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5178 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2241924 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://lore.kernel.org/linux-nvme/20231002105428.226515-1-sagi@grimberg.me/ (CNA: redhat)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7370 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7379 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7418 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7548 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7549 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7551 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7554 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7557 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7559 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0340 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0378 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0386 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0412 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0431 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0432 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0461 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0554 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0575 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1268 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1269 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1278 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5178 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2241924 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/01/msg00005.html (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lore.kernel.org/linux-nvme/20231002105428.226515-1-sagi@grimberg.me/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231208-0004/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.html (ADP: siemens-SADP)

- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-613116.html (ADP: siemens-SADP)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5178; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2023-5178; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: 2a5acf9f7d18c94f4572dcf5de4648b0d9f8d015be7b963cc0a493e3df419d43

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2023-5178

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