# CVE-2023-52751: smb: client: fix use-after-free in smb2_query_info_compound()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel CIFS client allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted SMB responses.

- **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:** 21 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-54747, BELL-CVE-2023-52751, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52751, GHSA-ffvm-4h72-qwr5, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2023-52751, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2023-52751, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2023-52751, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52751

## What is CVE-2023-52751?

CVE-2023-52751 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 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:

smb: client: fix use-after-free in smb2_query_info_compound()

The following UAF was triggered when running fstests generic/072 with
KASAN enabled against Windows Server 2022 and mount options
'multichannel,max_channels=2,vers=3.1.1,mfsymlinks,noperm'

  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in smb2_query_info_compound+0x423/0x6d0 [cifs]
  Read of size 8 at addr ffff888014941048 by task xfs_io/27534

  CPU: 0 PID: 27534 Comm: xfs_io Not tainted 6.6.0-rc7 #1
  Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS
  rel-1.16.2-3-gd478f380-rebuilt.opensuse.org 04/01/2014
  Call Trace:
   dump_stack_lvl+0x4a/0x80
   print_report+0xcf/0x650
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? __phys_addr+0x46/0x90
   kasan_report+0xda/0x110
   ? smb2_query_info_compound+0x423/0x6d0 [cifs]
   ? smb2_query_info_compound+0x423/0x6d0 [cifs]
   smb2_query_info_compound+0x423/0x6d0 [cifs]
   ? __pfx_smb2_query_info_compound+0x10/0x10 [cifs]
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? __stack_depot_save+0x39/0x480
   ? kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x60
   ? kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30
   ? ____kasan_slab_free+0x126/0x170
   smb2_queryfs+0xc2/0x2c0 [cifs]
   ? __pfx_smb2_queryfs+0x10/0x10 [cifs]
   ? __pfx___lock_acquire+0x10/0x10
   smb311_queryfs+0x210/0x220 [cifs]
   ? __pfx_smb311_queryfs+0x10/0x10 [cifs]
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? __lock_acquire+0x480/0x26c0
   ? lock_release+0x1ed/0x640
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? do_raw_spin_unlock+0x9b/0x100
   cifs_statfs+0x18c/0x4b0 [cifs]
   statfs_by_dentry+0x9b/0xf0
   fd_statfs+0x4e/0xb0
   __do_sys_fstatfs+0x7f/0xe0
   ? __pfx___do_sys_fstatfs+0x10/0x10
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x136/0x200
   ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0x7f
   do_syscall_64+0x3f/0x90
   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6e/0xd8

  Allocated by task 27534:
   kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x60
   kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30
   __kasan_kmalloc+0x8f/0xa0
   open_cached_dir+0x71b/0x1240 [cifs]
   smb2_query_info_compound+0x5c3/0x6d0 [cifs]
   smb2_queryfs+0xc2/0x2c0 [cifs]
   smb311_queryfs+0x210/0x220 [cifs]
   cifs_statfs+0x18c/0x4b0 [cifs]
   statfs_by_dentry+0x9b/0xf0
   fd_statfs+0x4e/0xb0
   __do_sys_fstatfs+0x7f/0xe0
   do_syscall_64+0x3f/0x90
   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6e/0xd8

  Freed by task 27534:
   kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x60
   kasan_set_track+0x25/0x30
   kasan_save_free_info+0x2b/0x50
   ____kasan_slab_free+0x126/0x170
   slab_free_freelist_hook+0xd0/0x1e0
   __kmem_cache_free+0x9d/0x1b0
   open_cached_dir+0xff5/0x1240 [cifs]
   smb2_query_info_compound+0x5c3/0x6d0 [cifs]
   smb2_queryfs+0xc2/0x2c0 [cifs]

This is a race between open_cached_dir() and cached_dir_lease_break()
where the cache entry for the open directory handle receives a lease
break while creating it.  And before returning from open_cached_dir(),
we put the last reference of the new @cfid because of
!@cfid->has_lease.

Besides the UAF, while running xfstests a lot of missed lease breaks
have been noticed in tests that run several concurrent statfs(2) calls
on those cached fids

  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test No task to wake, unknown frame...
  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test Cmd: 18 Err: 0x0 Flags: 0x1...
  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test smb buf 00000000715bfe83 len 108
  CIFS: VFS: Dump pending requests:
  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test No task to wake, unknown frame...
  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test Cmd: 18 Err: 0x0 Flags: 0x1...
  CIFS: VFS: \\w22-root1.gandalf.test smb buf 000000005aa7316e len 108
  ...

To fix both, in open_cached_dir() ensure that @cfid->has_lease is set
right before sending out compounded request so that any potential
lease break will be get processed by demultiplex thread while we're
still caching @cfid.  And, if open failed for some reason, re-check
@cfid->has_lease to decide whether or not put lease reference.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52751?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52751?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52751 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52751 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2023-52751 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52751 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 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-2023-52751 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-2023-52751/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52751/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52751
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52751
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52751

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52751/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.