CVE-2023-53007 tracing: Make sure trace_printk() can output as soon as it can be used
Fixes a Linux kernel tracing issue where trace_printk output is lost during early boot crashes if ftrace_dump_on_oops is enabled.
- 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
What is CVE-2023-53007?
CVE-2023-53007 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Mar 2025. 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:
tracing: Make sure trace_printk() can output as soon as it can be used
Currently trace_printk() can be used as soon as early_trace_init() is called from start_kernel(). But if a crash happens, and "ftrace_dump_on_oops" is set on the kernel command line, all you get will be:
[ 0.456075] <idle>-0 0dN.2. 347519us : Unknown type 6 [ 0.456075] <idle>-0 0dN.2. 353141us : Unknown type 6 [ 0.456075] <idle>-0 0dN.2. 358684us : Unknown type 6
This is because the trace_printk() event (type 6) hasn't been registered yet. That gets done via an early_initcall(), which may be early, but not early enough.
Instead of registering the trace_printk() event (and other ftrace events, which are not trace events) via an early_initcall(), have them registered at the same time that trace_printk() can be used. This way, if there is a crash before early_initcall(), then the trace_printk()s will actually be useful.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53007?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53007?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2023-53007 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53007 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53007, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53007, GHSA-qhg6-v8xh-pwh7, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53007.