# 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.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53420, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53420, GHSA-mpvx-hgx6-jw78, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53420

## 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.

[almaz.alexandrovich@paragon-software.com: lines of the patch have changed]

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53420?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53420?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2023-53420 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53420 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-2023-53420/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53420/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53420
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53420
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53420

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53420/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.