mm/slab_common: fix slab_caches list corruption after kmem_cache_destroy()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 8 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/slab_common: fix slab_caches list corruption after kmem_cache_destroy() After the commit in Fixes:, if a module that created a slab cache does not release all of its allocated objects before destroying the cache (at rmmod time), we might end up releasing the kmem_cache object without removing it from the slab_caches list thus corrupting the list as kmem_cache_destroy() ignores the return value from shutdown_cache(), which in turn never removes the kmem_cache object from slabs_list in case __kmem_cache_shutdown() fails to release all of the cache's slabs. This is easily observable on a kernel built with CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST=y as after that ill release the system will immediately trip on list_add, or list_del, assertions similar to the one shown below as soon as another kmem_cache gets created, or destroyed: [ 1041.213632] list_del corruption. next->prev should be ffff89f596fb5768, but was 52f1e5016aeee75d. (next=ffff89f595a1b268) [ 1041.219165] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 1041.221517] kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:62! [ 1041.223452] invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI [ 1041.225408] CPU: 2 PID: 1852 Comm: rmmod Kdump: loaded Tainted: G B W OE 6.5.0 #15 [ 1041.228244] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS edk2-20230524-3.fc37 05/24/2023 [ 1041.231212] RIP: 0010:__list_del_entry_valid+0xae/0xb0 Another quick way to trigger this issue, in a kernel with CONFIG_SLUB=y, is to set slub_debug to poison the released objects and then just run cat /proc/slabinfo after removing the module that leaks slab objects, in which case the kernel will panic: [ 50.954843] general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xa56b6b6b6b6b6b8b: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI [ 50.961545] CPU: 2 PID: 1495 Comm: cat Kdump: loaded Tainted: G B W OE 6.5.0 #15 [ 50.966808] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS edk2-20230524-3.fc37 05/24/2023 [ 50.972663] RIP: 0010:get_slabinfo+0x42/0xf0 This patch fixes this issue by properly checking shutdown_cache()'s return value before taking the kmem_cache_release() branch.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.19.8 to before 5.20 | 5.20 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.0 and later | 6.1.56, 6.5.6, 6.6 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.19.8 to before 5.20 Fixed in 5.20 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.0 and later Fixed in 6.1.56, 6.5.6, 6.6 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 to before 6.1.56; 6.2 to before 6.5.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 to before 6.1.56; 6.2 to before 6.5.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.20
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.56, 6.5.6, 6.6
Red Hat 3 advisories
- RHSA-2024:0448 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.9.2) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2 +10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) bpftool-7.0.0-284.48.1.el9_2, kernel-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2, kernel-64k-5.14.0-284.48.1.el9_2 +29
- RHSA-2023:7549 Released 2023-11-28 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-513.9.1.el8_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-513.9.1.el8_9, kernel-4.18.0-513.9.1.el8_9, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-513.9.1.el8_9 +19
- RHSA-2023:7539 Released 2023-11-28 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-477.36.1.el8_8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) bpftool-4.18.0-477.36.1.el8_8, kernel-4.18.0-477.36.1.el8_8, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-477.36.1.el8_8 +19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7549 |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7539 |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0448 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | — |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0448 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7549 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7539 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0448 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-52562
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-j56h-xwg2-4wc2
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2023-52562 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-52562 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j56h-xwg2-4wc2 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-52562 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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