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CVE-2023-52581 Siemens CVE debrief

CVE-2023-52581 is a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter nf_tables subsystem, specifically triggered when more than 255 elements expire simultaneously. The vulnerability was resolved in the Linux kernel with a fix for the memory leak condition. Siemens has identified this CVE as affecting certain industrial networking products running SINEC OS, including the RUGGEDCOM RST2428P and SCALANCE X-family switches. The CISA advisory ICSA-25-226-15, published on August 12, 2025, and subsequently updated through February 25, 2026, provides official notification of affected products. Notably, the February 2026 revisions corrected the affected products list and removed unsupported SINEC OS versions from scope, as versions below 3.1 are no longer supported for the SCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 family. No CVSS score or severity rating is available in the source corpus. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

Vendor
Siemens
Product
RUGGEDCOM RST2428P (6GK6242-6PA00)
CVSS
Unknown
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2025-08-12
Original CVE updated
2026-02-25
Advisory published
2025-08-12
Advisory updated
2026-02-25

Who should care

Organizations operating Siemens industrial networking equipment including RUGGEDCOM RST2428P switches and SCALANCE X-family managed switches running SINEC OS. System administrators responsible for Linux-based network infrastructure using nftables for packet filtering. OT security teams monitoring industrial control system vulnerabilities. Network engineers managing high-availability industrial networks where memory exhaustion could impact availability.

Technical summary

The vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's netfilter framework, specifically within the nf_tables subsystem that provides packet filtering and network address translation capabilities. The memory leak occurs when more than 255 elements in a set expire simultaneously, causing allocated memory to not be properly freed. This condition could lead to gradual memory exhaustion on affected systems under specific traffic patterns or configuration states. The fix ensures proper cleanup of expired elements regardless of quantity.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

  • Review Siemens ProductCERT advisory SSA-613116 for specific affected product versions and patch availability
  • Verify SINEC OS version on affected Siemens devices; ensure running supported version 3.1 or later for SCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 family
  • Apply kernel updates or vendor-provided patches addressing the nf_tables memory leak
  • Monitor system memory utilization on affected devices for signs of resource exhaustion
  • Follow CISA ICS recommended practices for defense-in-depth strategies for industrial control systems

Evidence notes

The vulnerability description is sourced from the Linux kernel commit message referenced in the CVE record. Siemens ProductCERT advisory SSA-613116 is the authoritative source for affected product identification. The CISA CSAF advisory ICSA-25-226-15 provides the government advisory context with revision history documenting product scope corrections in February 2026.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2023-52581 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52581

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2023-52581 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52581

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2025/icsa-25-226-15.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/csaf/ssa-613116.json

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-613116.html

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-25-226-15

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-alerts/ics-alert-10-301-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/industrial-control-systems

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/recommended_practices/NCCIC_ICS-CERT_Defense_in_Depth_2016_S508C.pdf

    Reference

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.