CVE-2023-53427 cifs: Fix warning and UAF when destroy the MR list
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel CIFS module allows attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code during mount operations.
- 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-2023-53427?
CVE-2023-53427 is a high-severity use after free 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:
cifs: Fix warning and UAF when destroy the MR list
If the MR allocate failed, the MR recovery work not initialized and list not cleared. Then will be warning and UAF when release the MR:
WARNING: CPU: 4 PID: 824 at kernel/workqueue.c:3066 __flush_work.isra.0+0xf7/0x110 CPU: 4 PID: 824 Comm: mount.cifs Not tainted 6.1.0-rc5+ #82 RIP: 0010:__flush_work.isra.0+0xf7/0x110 Call Trace: <TASK> __cancel_work_timer+0x2ba/0x2e0 smbd_destroy+0x4e1/0x990 _smbd_get_connection+0x1cbd/0x2110 smbd_get_connection+0x21/0x40 cifs_get_tcp_session+0x8ef/0xda0 mount_get_conns+0x60/0x750 cifs_mount+0x103/0xd00 cifs_smb3_do_mount+0x1dd/0xcb0 smb3_get_tree+0x1d5/0x300 vfs_get_tree+0x41/0xf0 path_mount+0x9b3/0xdd0 __x64_sys_mount+0x190/0x1d0 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in smbd_destroy+0x4fc/0x990 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88810b156a08 by task mount.cifs/824 CPU: 4 PID: 824 Comm: mount.cifs Tainted: G W 6.1.0-rc5+ #82 Call Trace: dump_stack_lvl+0x34/0x44 print_report+0x171/0x472 kasan_report+0xad/0x130 smbd_destroy+0x4fc/0x990 _smbd_get_connection+0x1cbd/0x2110 smbd_get_connection+0x21/0x40 cifs_get_tcp_session+0x8ef/0xda0 mount_get_conns+0x60/0x750 cifs_mount+0x103/0xd00 cifs_smb3_do_mount+0x1dd/0xcb0 smb3_get_tree+0x1d5/0x300 vfs_get_tree+0x41/0xf0 path_mount+0x9b3/0xdd0 __x64_sys_mount+0x190/0x1d0 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0
Allocated by task 824: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 __kasan_kmalloc+0x7a/0x90 _smbd_get_connection+0x1b6f/0x2110 smbd_get_connection+0x21/0x40 cifs_get_tcp_session+0x8ef/0xda0 mount_get_conns+0x60/0x750 cifs_mount+0x103/0xd00 cifs_smb3_do_mount+0x1dd/0xcb0 smb3_get_tree+0x1d5/0x300 vfs_get_tree+0x41/0xf0 path_mount+0x9b3/0xdd0 __x64_sys_mount+0x190/0x1d0 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0
Freed by task 824: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x2a/0x40 ____kasan_slab_free+0x143/0x1b0 __kmem_cache_free+0xc8/0x330 _smbd_get_connection+0x1c6a/0x2110 smbd_get_connection+0x21/0x40 cifs_get_tcp_session+0x8ef/0xda0 mount_get_conns+0x60/0x750 cifs_mount+0x103/0xd00 cifs_smb3_do_mount+0x1dd/0xcb0 smb3_get_tree+0x1d5/0x300 vfs_get_tree+0x41/0xf0 path_mount+0x9b3/0xdd0 __x64_sys_mount+0x190/0x1d0 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0
Let's initialize the MR recovery work before MR allocate to prevent the warning, remove the MRs from the list to prevent the UAF.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53427?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53427?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2023-53427 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53427 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53427, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53427, GHSA-v584-qp6m-f4mf, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53427.