# CVE-2023-53111: loop: Fix use-after-free issues

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel loop driver allows attackers to cause a system crash via kernel NULL pointer dereference.

- **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:** 2 May 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53111, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53111, GHSA-8xqr-m9jg-qc5f, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2023-53111, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53111

## What is CVE-2023-53111?

CVE-2023-53111 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 May 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:

loop: Fix use-after-free issues

do_req_filebacked() calls blk_mq_complete_request() synchronously or
asynchronously when using asynchronous I/O unless memory allocation fails.
Hence, modify loop_handle_cmd() such that it does not dereference 'cmd' nor
'rq' after do_req_filebacked() finished unless we are sure that the request
has not yet been completed. This patch fixes the following kernel crash:

Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000054
Call trace:
 css_put.42938+0x1c/0x1ac
 loop_process_work+0xc8c/0xfd4
 loop_rootcg_workfn+0x24/0x34
 process_one_work+0x244/0x558
 worker_thread+0x400/0x8fc
 kthread+0x16c/0x1e0
 ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53111?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53111?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53111 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53111 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-2023-53111 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53111 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 May 2025. 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-2023-53111 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-2023-53111/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53111/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53111
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53111
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53111

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53111/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.