CVE-2023-54046 crypto: essiv - Handle EBUSY correctly
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ESSIV crypto module allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute code via backlogged requests.
- 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-2023-54046?
CVE-2023-54046 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 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:
crypto: essiv - Handle EBUSY correctly
As it is essiv only handles the special return value of EINPROGERSS, which means that in all other cases it will free data related to the request.
However, as the caller of essiv may specify MAY_BACKLOG, we also need to expect EBUSY and treat it in the same way. Otherwise backlogged requests will trigger a use-after-free.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54046?
How do I fix CVE-2023-54046?
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-2023-54046 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54046 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-54046, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54046, GHSA-m7wm-fq3g-5gmr, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54046.