Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-46839

critical Nessus Plugin ID 226954

Synopsis

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be patched.

Description

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

- PCI devices can make use of a functionality called phantom functions, that when enabled allows the device to generate requests using the IDs of functions that are otherwise unpopulated. This allows a device to extend the number of outstanding requests. Such phantom functions need an IOMMU context setup, but failure to setup the context is not fatal when the device is assigned. Not failing device assignment when such failure happens can lead to the primary device being assigned to a guest, while some of the phantom functions are assigned to a different domain. (CVE-2023-46839)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

Solution

There is no known solution at this time.

See Also

https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-46839

https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-46839

Plugin Details

Severity: Critical

ID: 226954

File Name: unpatched_CVE_2023_46839.nasl

Version: 1.2

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Misc.

Published: 3/5/2025

Updated: 8/10/2025

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 5.9

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.6

Temporal Score: 4.9

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:P/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2023-46839

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Critical

Base Score: 9.8

Temporal Score: 8.5

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.04, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts, p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:xen, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:xen, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, global_settings/vendor_unpatched, Host/OS/identifier

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Vulnerability Publication Date: 11/30/2023

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2023-46839