# CVE-2023-53526: jbd2: check 'jh->b_transaction' before removing it from checkpoint

> A race condition in the Linux kernel's jbd2 filesystem code can lead to ext4 image corruption and data loss during specific checkpoint 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:** 1 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53526, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53526, GHSA-rhfj-r57g-8474, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53526

## What is CVE-2023-53526?

CVE-2023-53526 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Oct 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:

jbd2: check 'jh->b_transaction' before removing it from checkpoint

Following process will corrupt ext4 image:
Step 1:
jbd2_journal_commit_transaction
 __jbd2_journal_insert_checkpoint(jh, commit_transaction)
 // Put jh into trans1->t_checkpoint_list
 journal->j_checkpoint_transactions = commit_transaction
 // Put trans1 into journal->j_checkpoint_transactions

Step 2:
do_get_write_access
 test_clear_buffer_dirty(bh) // clear buffer dirty，set jbd dirty
 __jbd2_journal_file_buffer(jh, transaction) // jh belongs to trans2

Step 3:
drop_cache
 journal_shrink_one_cp_list
  jbd2_journal_try_remove_checkpoint
   if (!trylock_buffer(bh))  // lock bh, true
   if (buffer_dirty(bh))     // buffer is not dirty
   __jbd2_journal_remove_checkpoint(jh)
   // remove jh from trans1->t_checkpoint_list

Step 4:
jbd2_log_do_checkpoint
 trans1 = journal->j_checkpoint_transactions
 // jh is not in trans1->t_checkpoint_list
 jbd2_cleanup_journal_tail(journal)  // trans1 is done

Step 5: Power cut, trans2 is not committed, jh is lost in next mounting.

Fix it by checking 'jh->b_transaction' before remove it from checkpoint.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53526?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53526?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53526 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53526 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-2023-53526 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53526 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Oct 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-2023-53526 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-2023-53526/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53526/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53526
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53526
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53526

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53526/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.