# CVE-2023-3212: Null dereference in Linux kernel (gfs2 file system)

> A privileged local user can cause a kernel panic via a NULL pointer dereference in the gfs2 file system when handling corrupt file systems.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-27308, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-3212, GHSA-h6hv-h4xf-gmgh, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-3212

## What is CVE-2023-3212?

CVE-2023-3212 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A NULL pointer dereference issue was found in the gfs2 file system in the Linux kernel. It occurs on corrupt gfs2 file systems when the evict code tries to reference the journal descriptor structure after it has been freed and set to NULL. A privileged local user could use this flaw to cause a kernel panic.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-3212?

It affects 9 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Linux kernel, Netapp H300s Firmware, Netapp H410c Firmware, Netapp H410s Firmware, Netapp H500s Firmware, Netapp H700s Firmware, Redhat Enterprise Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-3212?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-3212 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-3212 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-3212 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-3212 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-3212 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3212/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3212/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3212
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3212
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-3212

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3212/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.