CVE-2023-52803

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: SUNRPC: Fix RPC client cleaned up the freed pipefs dentries RPC client pipefs dentries cleanup is in separated rpc_remove_pipedir() workqueue,which takes care about pipefs superblock locking. In some special scenarios, when kernel frees the pipefs sb of the current client and immediately alloctes a new pipefs sb, rpc_remove_pipedir function would misjudge the existence of pipefs sb which is not the one it used to hold. As a result, the rpc_remove_pipedir would clean the released freed pipefs dentries. To fix this issue, rpc_remove_pipedir should check whether the current pipefs sb is consistent with the original pipefs sb. This error can be catched by KASAN: ========================================================= [ 250.497700] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in dget_parent+0x195/0x200 [ 250.498315] Read of size 4 at addr ffff88800a2ab804 by task kworker/0:18/106503 [ 250.500549] Workqueue: events rpc_free_client_work [ 250.501001] Call Trace: [ 250.502880] kasan_report+0xb6/0xf0 [ 250.503209] ? dget_parent+0x195/0x200 [ 250.503561] dget_parent+0x195/0x200 [ 250.503897] ? __pfx_rpc_clntdir_depopulate+0x10/0x10 [ 250.504384] rpc_rmdir_depopulate+0x1b/0x90 [ 250.504781] rpc_remove_client_dir+0xf5/0x150 [ 250.505195] rpc_free_client_work+0xe4/0x230 [ 250.505598] process_one_work+0x8ee/0x13b0 ... [ 22.039056] Allocated by task 244: [ 22.039390] kasan_save_stack+0x22/0x50 [ 22.039758] kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30 [ 22.040109] __kasan_slab_alloc+0x59/0x70 [ 22.040487] kmem_cache_alloc_lru+0xf0/0x240 [ 22.040889] __d_alloc+0x31/0x8e0 [ 22.041207] d_alloc+0x44/0x1f0 [ 22.041514] __rpc_lookup_create_exclusive+0x11c/0x140 [ 22.041987] rpc_mkdir_populate.constprop.0+0x5f/0x110 [ 22.042459] rpc_create_client_dir+0x34/0x150 [ 22.042874] rpc_setup_pipedir_sb+0x102/0x1c0 [ 22.043284] rpc_client_register+0x136/0x4e0 [ 22.043689] rpc_new_client+0x911/0x1020 [ 22.044057] rpc_create_xprt+0xcb/0x370 [ 22.044417] rpc_create+0x36b/0x6c0 ... [ 22.049524] Freed by task 0: [ 22.049803] kasan_save_stack+0x22/0x50 [ 22.050165] kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30 [ 22.050520] kasan_save_free_info+0x2b/0x50 [ 22.050921] __kasan_slab_free+0x10e/0x1a0 [ 22.051306] kmem_cache_free+0xa5/0x390 [ 22.051667] rcu_core+0x62c/0x1930 [ 22.051995] __do_softirq+0x165/0x52a [ 22.052347] [ 22.052503] Last potentially related work creation: [ 22.052952] kasan_save_stack+0x22/0x50 [ 22.053313] __kasan_record_aux_stack+0x8e/0xa0 [ 22.053739] __call_rcu_common.constprop.0+0x6b/0x8b0 [ 22.054209] dentry_free+0xb2/0x140 [ 22.054540] __dentry_kill+0x3be/0x540 [ 22.054900] shrink_dentry_list+0x199/0x510 [ 22.055293] shrink_dcache_parent+0x190/0x240 [ 22.055703] do_one_tree+0x11/0x40 [ 22.056028] shrink_dcache_for_umount+0x61/0x140 [ 22.056461] generic_shutdown_super+0x70/0x590 [ 22.056879] kill_anon_super+0x3a/0x60 [ 22.057234] rpc_kill_sb+0x121/0x200

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2024-05-21
Last modified 2025-09-23
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Awaiting data

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10
Medium
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-416

CVE-2023-52803 is a Use After Free vulnerability

What is Use After Free?

The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Learn more on MITRE CWE

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2023-52803 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2023-52803?

    CVE-2023-52803 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as an Use After Free flaw (CWE-416) . CVE-2023-52803 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2023-52803?

    CVE-2023-52803 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2023-52803?

    No patch is currently available for CVE-2023-52803. Monitor the NIST NVD and your Linux distribution's security advisories for updates.

  • Is CVE-2023-52803 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2023-52803 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Use After Free (CWE-416)?

    The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. View CWE-416 on MITRE CWE →