# CVE-2023-53214: f2fs: fix to avoid potential memory corruption in __update_iostat_latency()

> A buffer overflow in the Linux kernel's f2fs filesystem allows attackers to cause memory corruption, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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:** 15 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53214, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53214, GHSA-x74x-w5qg-98qh, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53214

## What is CVE-2023-53214?

CVE-2023-53214 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 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:

f2fs: fix to avoid potential memory corruption in __update_iostat_latency()

Add iotype sanity check to avoid potential memory corruption.
This is to fix the compile error below:

fs/f2fs/iostat.c:231 __update_iostat_latency() error: buffer overflow
'io_lat->peak_lat[type]' 3 <= 3

vim +228 fs/f2fs/iostat.c

  211  static inline void __update_iostat_latency(struct bio_iostat_ctx
	*iostat_ctx,
  212					enum iostat_lat_type type)
  213  {
  214		unsigned long ts_diff;
  215		unsigned int page_type = iostat_ctx->type;
  216		struct f2fs_sb_info *sbi = iostat_ctx->sbi;
  217		struct iostat_lat_info *io_lat = sbi->iostat_io_lat;
  218		unsigned long flags;
  219
  220		if (!sbi->iostat_enable)
  221			return;
  222
  223		ts_diff = jiffies - iostat_ctx->submit_ts;
  224		if (page_type >= META_FLUSH)
                                 ^^^^^^^^^^

  225			page_type = META;
  226
  227		spin_lock_irqsave(&sbi->iostat_lat_lock, flags);
 @228		io_lat->sum_lat[type][page_type] += ts_diff;
                                      ^^^^^^^^^
Mixup between META_FLUSH and NR_PAGE_TYPE leads to memory corruption.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53214?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53214?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53214 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53214 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-2023-53214 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53214 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 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-2023-53214 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-2023-53214/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53214/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53214
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53214
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53214

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53214/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.