tracing/synthetic: Fix races on freeing last_cmd
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing/synthetic: Fix races on freeing last_cmd Currently, the "last_cmd" variable can be accessed by multiple processes asynchronously when multiple users manipulate synthetic_events node at the same time, it could lead to use-after-free or double-free. This patch add "lastcmd_mutex" to prevent "last_cmd" from being accessed asynchronously. ================================================================ It's easy to reproduce in the KASAN environment by running the two scripts below in different shells. script 1: while : do echo -n -e '\x88' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events done script 2: while : do echo -n -e '\xb0' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events done ================================================================ double-free scenario: process A process B ------------------- --------------- 1.kstrdup last_cmd 2.free last_cmd 3.free last_cmd(double-free) ================================================================ use-after-free scenario: process A process B ------------------- --------------- 1.kstrdup last_cmd 2.free last_cmd 3.tracing_log_err(use-after-free) ================================================================ Appendix 1. KASAN report double-free: BUG: KASAN: double-free in kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 Free of addr ***** by task sh/4879 Call trace: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Allocated by task 4879: ... kstrdup+0x5c/0x98 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x6c/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Freed by task 5464: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... ================================================================ Appendix 2. KASAN report use-after-free: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in strlen+0x5c/0x7c Read of size 1 at addr ***** by task sh/5483 sh: CPU: 7 PID: 5483 Comm: sh ... __asan_report_load1_noabort+0x34/0x44 strlen+0x5c/0x7c tracing_log_err+0x60/0x444 create_or_delete_synth_event+0xc4/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Allocated by task 5483: ... kstrdup+0x5c/0x98 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x80/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Freed by task 5480: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x74/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ...
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.18 and later | 6.1.24, 6.2.11, 6.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.18 and later Fixed in 6.1.24, 6.2.11, 6.3 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.18 to before 6.1.24; 6.2 to before 6.2.11 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.18 to before 6.1.24; 6.2 to before 6.2.11 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.3:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.24, 6.2.11, 6.3
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-2023-53478
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q32w-2qjp-8m8q
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2023-53478 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-53478 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q32w-2qjp-8m8q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-53478 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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