---
id: CVE-2023-1838
title: >-
  A use-after-free flaw was found in vhost_net_set_backend in
  drivers/vhost/net.c in virtio network subcomponent in the Linux kernel due to
  a double fget
summary: >-
  A use-after-free flaw was found in vhost_net_set_backend in
  drivers/vhost/net.c in virtio network subcomponent in the Linux kernel due to
  a double fget. This flaw could allow a local attacker to crash the system, and
  could even lead to a…
severity: high
cvss: 7.1
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-416
vendor: linux
product: linux_kernel
affected:
  - 'linux_kernel >= 4.13, < 4.14.317'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 4.15, < 4.19.245'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 4.20, < 5.4.196'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 5.5, < 5.10.118'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 5.11, < 5.15.42'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 5.16, < 5.17.10'
  - h300s
  - h410c
  - h410s
  - h500s
  - h700s
patched:
  - linux_kernel 5.17.10
published: '2023-04-05'
updated: '2026-10-08'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-08T22:17:22.263'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1838'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20220516084213.26854-1-jasowang%40redhat.com/T/
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230517-0003/'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20220516084213.26854-1-jasowang%40redhat.com/T/
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230517-0003/'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2023/cve-2023-1838.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-1838'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2087568'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-1838'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1838'
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20220516084213.26854-1-jasowang@redhat.com/T/
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0412'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0575'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0897'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0881'
tags:
  - nvd
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00251
epssPercentile: 0.16378
ingestedAt: '2026-10-08T23:16:47.349Z'
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-10-08T21:09:05.974773Z'
---

## Overview

A use-after-free flaw was found in vhost_net_set_backend in drivers/vhost/net.c in virtio network subcomponent in the Linux kernel due to a double fget. This flaw could allow a local attacker to crash the system, and could even lead to a kernel information leak problem.

## Affected

- `linux_kernel >= 4.13, < 4.14.317`
- `linux_kernel >= 4.15, < 4.19.245`
- `linux_kernel >= 4.20, < 5.4.196`
- `linux_kernel >= 5.5, < 5.10.118`
- `linux_kernel >= 5.11, < 5.15.42`
- `linux_kernel >= 5.16, < 5.17.10`
- `h300s`
- `h410c`
- `h410s`
- `h500s`
- `h700s`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `linux_kernel 5.17.10`

## Vendor advisories

- **RHSA-2024:0412** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Virtualization 4 Hypervisor for RHEL 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6), Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.6) · released 2024-01-25 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0412)
- **RHSA-2024:0575** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8), Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.8) · released 2024-01-30 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0575)
- **RHSA-2024:0897** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8), Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) · released 2024-02-20 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0897)
- **RHSA-2024:0881** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 8), Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Real Time (v. 8) · released 2024-02-20 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0881)
- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · updated 2026-10-09 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2023/cve-2023-1838.json)