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TI-2023-29175 Aliases CVE-2023-52854GHSA-gj4h-wmhg-vp66

padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell()

Priority LOW 34CWE-416Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell() In a high-load arm64 environment, the pcrypt_aead01 test in LTP can lead to system UAF (Use-After-Free) issues. Due to the lengthy analysis of the pcrypt_aead01 function call, I'll describe the problem scenario using a simplified model: Suppose there's a user of padata named `user_function` that adheres to the padata requirement of calling `padata_free_shell` after `serial()` has been invoked, as demonstrated in the following code: ```c struct request { struct padata_priv padata; struct completion *done; }; void parallel(struct padata_priv *padata) { do_something(); } void serial(struct padata_priv *padata) { struct request *request = container_of(padata, struct request, padata); complete(request->done); } void user_function() { DECLARE_COMPLETION(done) padata->parallel = parallel; padata->serial = serial; padata_do_parallel(); wait_for_completion(&done); padata_free_shell(); } ``` In the corresponding padata.c file, there's the following code: ```c static void padata_serial_worker(struct work_struct *serial_work) { ... cnt = 0; while (!list_empty(&local_list)) { ... padata->serial(padata); cnt++; } local_bh_enable(); if (refcount_sub_and_test(cnt, &pd->refcnt)) padata_free_pd(pd); } ``` Because of the high system load and the accumulation of unexecuted softirq at this moment, `local_bh_enable()` in padata takes longer to execute than usual. Subsequently, when accessing `pd->refcnt`, `pd` has already been released by `padata_free_shell()`, resulting in a UAF issue with `pd->refcnt`. The fix is straightforward: add `refcount_dec_and_test` before calling `padata_free_pd` in `padata_free_shell`.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00242 15th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 3.17, 4.5, 4.10 +10Red Hat: 3 without a fix

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux3.16.84 to before 3.17; 4.4.215 to before 4.5; 4.9.215 to before 4.10; 4.14.172 to before 4.15; 4.19.103 to before 4.20; 5.4.19 to before 5.5; 5.5.3 to before 5.63.17, 4.5, 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.6Patch availableCNA
LinuxLinux5.6 and later5.10.201, 5.15.139, 6.1.63, 6.5.12, 6.6.2, 6.7Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 3.16.84 to before 3.17; 4.4.215 to before 4.5; 4.9.215 to before 4.10; 4.14.172 to before 4.15; 4.19.103 to before 4.20; 5.4.19 to before 5.5; 5.5.3 to before 5.6 Fixed in 3.17, 4.5, 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.6 Patch available CNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.6 and later Fixed in 5.10.201, 5.15.139, 6.1.63, 6.5.12, 6.6.2, 6.7 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*3.16.84 to before 3.17; 4.4.215 to before 4.5; 4.9.215 to before 4.10; 4.14.172 to before 4.15; 4.19.103 to before 4.20; 5.4.19 to before 5.5; 5.5.3 to before 5.10.201; 5.11 to before 5.15.139; 5.16 to before 6.1.63; 6.2 to before 6.5.12; 6.6 to before 6.6.2VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.16.84 to before 3.17; 4.4.215 to before 4.5; 4.9.215 to before 4.10; 4.14.172 to before 4.15; 4.19.103 to before 4.20; 5.4.19 to before 5.5; 5.5.3 to before 5.10.201; 5.11 to before 5.15.139; 5.16 to before 6.1.63; 6.2 to before 6.5.12; 6.6 to before 6.6.2 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 3.17, 4.5, 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.6
  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.201, 5.15.139, 6.1.63, 6.5.12, 6.6.2, 6.7

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-52854
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gj4h-wmhg-vp66

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • 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
See all 15278 →

Sources