# CVE-2023-53608: nilfs2: fix potential UAF of struct nilfs_sc_info in nilfs_segctor_thread()

> A race condition in the nilfs2 filesystem can lead to a use-after-free, potentially allowing local attackers to execute code or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 4 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53608, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53608, GHSA-g3qq-fg79-63v4, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53608

## What is CVE-2023-53608?

CVE-2023-53608 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 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:

nilfs2: fix potential UAF of struct nilfs_sc_info in nilfs_segctor_thread()

The finalization of nilfs_segctor_thread() can race with
nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() which terminates that thread, potentially
causing a use-after-free BUG as KASAN detected.

At the end of nilfs_segctor_thread(), it assigns NULL to "sc_task" member
of "struct nilfs_sc_info" to indicate the thread has finished, and then
notifies nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() of this using waitqueue
"sc_wait_task" on the struct nilfs_sc_info.

However, here, immediately after the NULL assignment to "sc_task", it is
possible that nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() will detect it and return to
continue the deallocation, freeing the nilfs_sc_info structure before the
thread does the notification.

This fixes the issue by protecting the NULL assignment to "sc_task" and
its notification, with spinlock "sc_state_lock" of the struct
nilfs_sc_info.  Since nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() does a final check to
see if "sc_task" is NULL with "sc_state_lock" locked, this can eliminate
the race.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53608?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53608?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53608 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53608 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-2023-53608 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53608 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 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-2023-53608 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-2023-53608/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53608/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53608
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53608
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53608

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53608/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.