nilfs2: fix use-after-free of nilfs_root in dirtying inodes via iput
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
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: fix use-after-free of nilfs_root in dirtying inodes via iput During unmount process of nilfs2, nothing holds nilfs_root structure after nilfs2 detaches its writer in nilfs_detach_log_writer(). Previously, nilfs_evict_inode() could cause use-after-free read for nilfs_root if inodes are left in "garbage_list" and released by nilfs_dispose_list at the end of nilfs_detach_log_writer(), and this bug was fixed by commit 9b5a04ac3ad9 ("nilfs2: fix use-after-free bug of nilfs_root in nilfs_evict_inode()"). However, it turned out that there is another possibility of UAF in the call path where mark_inode_dirty_sync() is called from iput(): nilfs_detach_log_writer() nilfs_dispose_list() iput() mark_inode_dirty_sync() __mark_inode_dirty() nilfs_dirty_inode() __nilfs_mark_inode_dirty() nilfs_load_inode_block() --> causes UAF of nilfs_root struct This can happen after commit 0ae45f63d4ef ("vfs: add support for a lazytime mount option"), which changed iput() to call mark_inode_dirty_sync() on its final reference if i_state has I_DIRTY_TIME flag and i_nlink is non-zero. This issue appears after commit 28a65b49eb53 ("nilfs2: do not write dirty data after degenerating to read-only") when using the syzbot reproducer, but the issue has potentially existed before. Fix this issue by adding a "purging flag" to the nilfs structure, setting that flag while disposing the "garbage_list" and checking it in __nilfs_mark_inode_dirty(). Unlike commit 9b5a04ac3ad9 ("nilfs2: fix use-after-free bug of nilfs_root in nilfs_evict_inode()"), this patch does not rely on ns_writer to determine whether to skip operations, so as not to break recovery on mount. The nilfs_salvage_orphan_logs routine dirties the buffer of salvaged data before attaching the log writer, so changing __nilfs_mark_inode_dirty() to skip the operation when ns_writer is NULL will cause recovery write to fail. The purpose of using the cleanup-only flag is to allow for narrowing of such conditions.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
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 | 4.0 and later | 4.14.323, 4.19.292, 5.4.254, 5.10.191, 5.15.127, 6.1.46, 6.4.11, 6.5 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.0 and later Fixed in 4.14.323, 4.19.292, 5.4.254, 5.10.191, 5.15.127, 6.1.46, 6.4.11, 6.5 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 to before 4.14.323; 4.15 to before 4.19.292; 4.20 to before 5.4.254; 5.5 to before 5.10.191; 5.11 to before 5.15.127; 5.16 to before 6.1.46; 6.2 to before 6.4.11 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 to before 4.14.323; 4.15 to before 4.19.292; 4.20 to before 5.4.254; 5.5 to before 5.10.191; 5.11 to before 5.15.127; 5.16 to before 6.1.46; 6.2 to before 6.4.11 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.14.323, 4.19.292, 5.4.254, 5.10.191, 5.15.127, 6.1.46, 6.4.11, 6.5
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-53311
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-53rx-6x56-6g2f
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11afd67f1b3c28eb216e50a3ca8dbcb69bb71793
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3c3b4cbf9b8554120fb230e6516e980c6277487
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d2c539c216cce74837a9cf5804eb205939b82227
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/37207240872456fbab44a110bde6640445233963
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3645510cf926e6af2f4d44899370d7e5331c93bd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7532ff6edbf5242376b24a95a2fefb59bb653e5a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5828d5f5dc877dcfdd7b23102e978e2ecfd86d82
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f8654743a0e6909dc634cbfad6db6816f10f3399
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Sources
- CVE-2023-53311 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-53311 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-53rx-6x56-6g2f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-53311 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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