CVE-2023-53535

A missing bounds check flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Broadcom GENET Ethernet driver in the packet receive path. A local user on systems with this hardware can trigger this issue when the network interface receives oversized packets from the network that exceed the nominal 2KiB buffer allocation. This causes the driver to invoke skb_over_panic, resulting in a kernel panic and denial of service.

The bcmgenet driver allocates socket buffers with a fixed 2KiB size for receiving network packets. Under certain conditions, the hardware can deliver packets that exceed this size—potentially due to malformed packets, misconfigured network equipment, or hardware anomalies. When the driver attempts to process these oversized packets without validating the length first, it triggers skb_over_panic, which immediately crashes the kernel. While the hardware behavior that produces oversized packets is described as occasional, it can occur naturally without malicious intent.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

To mitigate this issue, prevent the genet module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions on blacklisting kernel modules.