CVE-2023-54166

A race condition was identified in the Intel “igc” network driver in the Linux kernel. Under specific heavy traffic and timing scenarios, such as when the transmit queue times out (ndo_tx_timeout) and the adapter reset path is invoked concurrently with device teardown or reinitialization, the driver may mishandle transmit queue and interrupt state. This can result in unexpected kernel behavior including a kernel panic.

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity for Red Hat Enterprise Linux because exploitation is constrained to a local denial of service via a kernel crash, without impacting confidentiality or integrity. Exposure is strictly limited to systems equipped with network hardware driven by the igc driver (such as Intel 2.5GbE adapters). Triggering the panic requires a specific timing collision when transmit timeouts coincide with adapter reinitialization under heavy traffic conditions.

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.

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.