CVE-2023-53420 ntfs: Fix panic about slab-out-of-bounds caused by ntfs_listxattr()
A slab-out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel NTFS driver allows attackers to cause a system panic via crafted extended attributes.
- 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-2023-53420?
CVE-2023-53420 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:
ntfs: Fix panic about slab-out-of-bounds caused by ntfs_listxattr()
Here is a BUG report from syzbot:
BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ntfs_list_ea fs/ntfs3/xattr.c:191 [inline] BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ntfs_listxattr+0x401/0x570 fs/ntfs3/xattr.c:710 Read of size 1 at addr ffff888021acaf3d by task syz-executor128/3632
Call Trace: ntfs_list_ea fs/ntfs3/xattr.c:191 [inline] ntfs_listxattr+0x401/0x570 fs/ntfs3/xattr.c:710 vfs_listxattr fs/xattr.c:457 [inline] listxattr+0x293/0x2d0 fs/xattr.c:804
Fix the logic of ea_all iteration. When the ea->name_len is 0, return immediately, or Add2Ptr() would visit invalid memory in the next loop.
[[email protected]: lines of the patch have changed]
Weakness: CWE-125
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53420?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53420?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2023-53420 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53420 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53420, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53420, GHSA-mpvx-hgx6-jw78, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53420.