How severe is CVE-2023-39198?

CVE-2023-39198 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2023-39198 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-39198?

CVE-2023-39198 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-39198?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2023-39198 published?

CVE-2023-39198 was published on 2023-11-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-39198

CVE-2023-39198 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (34th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2023-11-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-39198?: 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.
How severe is CVE-2023-39198?: CVE-2023-39198 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-39198 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-39198?: CVE-2023-39198 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-39198?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2023-39198 published?: CVE-2023-39198 was published on 2023-11-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (10)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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