# 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.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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:** 18 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53427, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53427, GHSA-v584-qp6m-f4mf, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53427

## 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 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53427?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53427?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2023-53427 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53427 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-2023-53427/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53427/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53427
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53427
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53427

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53427/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.