# CVE-2023-52654: io_uring/af_unix: disable sending io_uring over sockets

> A race condition in the Linux kernel's io_uring subsystem involving Unix sockets could lead to file reference cycles and potential denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52654, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52654, GHSA-p435-prrh-xm57, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52654

## What is CVE-2023-52654?

CVE-2023-52654 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

io_uring/af_unix: disable sending io_uring over sockets

File reference cycles have caused lots of problems for io_uring
in the past, and it still doesn't work exactly right and races with
unix_stream_read_generic(). The safest fix would be to completely
disallow sending io_uring files via sockets via SCM_RIGHT, so there
are no possible cycles invloving registered files and thus rendering
SCM accounting on the io_uring side unnecessary.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52654?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52654?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52654 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52654 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/FoxyProxys/CVE-2023-52654 (github_poc): https://github.com/FoxyProxys/CVE-2023-52654

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-52654 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52654 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 May 2024. 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-2023-52654 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2023-52654/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52654/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52654
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52654
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52654

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52654/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.