# CVE-2023-53419: rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access

> A race condition in the Linux kernel RCU subsystem can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to a system crash.

- **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:** 18 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53419, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53419, GHSA-w2v8-x9hv-74wh, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53419

## What is CVE-2023-53419?

CVE-2023-53419 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 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:

rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access

For kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU=y, the following scenario can
result in a NULL-pointer dereference:

           CPU1                                           CPU2
rcu_preempt_deferred_qs_irqrestore                rcu_print_task_exp_stall
  if (special.b.blocked)                            READ_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks) != NULL
    raw_spin_lock_rcu_node
    np = rcu_next_node_entry(t, rnp)
    if (&t->rcu_node_entry == rnp->exp_tasks)
      WRITE_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks, np)
      ....
      raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore_rcu_node
                                                    raw_spin_lock_irqsave_rcu_node
                                                    t = list_entry(rnp->exp_tasks->prev,
                                                        struct task_struct, rcu_node_entry)
                                                    (if rnp->exp_tasks is NULL, this
                                                       will dereference a NULL pointer)

The problem is that CPU2 accesses the rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks
field without holding the rcu_node structure's ->lock and CPU2 did
not observe CPU1's change to rcu_node structure's ->exp_tasks in time.
Therefore, if CPU1 sets rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks pointer to NULL,
then CPU2 might dereference that NULL pointer.

This commit therefore holds the rcu_node structure's ->lock while
accessing that structure's->exp_tasks field.

[ paulmck: Apply Frederic Weisbecker feedback. ]

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53419?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53419?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53419 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53419 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-2023-53419 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53419 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 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-2023-53419 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-2023-53419/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53419/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53419
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53419
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53419

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53419/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.