# CVE-2023-52779: fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's overlayfs and ecryptfs modules can cause a system crash, requiring a kernel patch.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52779, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52779, GHSA-7m8f-jj48-x349, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52779

## What is CVE-2023-52779?

CVE-2023-52779 is a medium-severity 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:

fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function

When vfs_getattr_nosec() calls a filesystem's getattr interface function
then the 'nosec' should propagate into this function so that
vfs_getattr_nosec() can again be called from the filesystem's gettattr
rather than vfs_getattr(). The latter would add unnecessary security
checks that the initial vfs_getattr_nosec() call wanted to avoid.
Therefore, introduce the getattr flag GETATTR_NOSEC and allow to pass
with the new getattr_flags parameter to the getattr interface function.
In overlayfs and ecryptfs use this flag to determine which one of the
two functions to call.

In a recent code change introduced to IMA vfs_getattr_nosec() ended up
calling vfs_getattr() in overlayfs, which in turn called
security_inode_getattr() on an exiting process that did not have
current->fs set anymore, which then caused a kernel NULL pointer
dereference. With this change the call to security_inode_getattr() can
be avoided, thus avoiding the NULL pointer dereference.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52779?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52779?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52779 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52779 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-2023-52779 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52779 is a medium-severity 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-2023-52779 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-2023-52779/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52779/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52779
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52779
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52779

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52779/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.