CVE-2023-54203 ksmbd: fix slab-out-of-bounds in init_smb2_rsp_hdr
A slab-out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel's ksmbd module allows attackers to cause a denial of service via crafted SMB1 requests.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-54203?
CVE-2023-54203 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 30 Dec 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ksmbd: fix slab-out-of-bounds in init_smb2_rsp_hdr
When smb1 mount fails, KASAN detect slab-out-of-bounds in init_smb2_rsp_hdr like the following one. For smb1 negotiate(56bytes) , init_smb2_rsp_hdr() for smb2 is called. The issue occurs while handling smb1 negotiate as smb2 server operations. Add smb server operations for smb1 (get_cmd_val, init_rsp_hdr, allocate_rsp_buf, check_user_session) to handle smb1 negotiate so that smb2 server operation does not handle it.
[ 411.400423] CIFS: VFS: Use of the less secure dialect vers=1.0 is not recommended unless required for access to very old servers [ 411.400452] CIFS: Attempting to mount \\192.168.45.139\homes [ 411.479312] ksmbd: init_smb2_rsp_hdr : 492 [ 411.479323] ================================================================== [ 411.479327] BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in init_smb2_rsp_hdr+0x1e2/0x1f4 [ksmbd] [ 411.479369] Read of size 16 at addr ffff888488ed0734 by task kworker/14:1/199
[ 411.479379] CPU: 14 PID: 199 Comm: kworker/14:1 Tainted: G OE 6.1.21 #3 [ 411.479386] Hardware name: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z10PA-D8 Series/Z10PA-D8 Series, BIOS 3801 08/23/2019 [ 411.479390] Workqueue: ksmbd-io handle_ksmbd_work [ksmbd] [ 411.479425] Call Trace: [ 411.479428] <TASK> [ 411.479432] dump_stack_lvl+0x49/0x63 [ 411.479444] print_report+0x171/0x4a8 [ 411.479452] ? kasan_complete_mode_report_info+0x3c/0x200 [ 411.479463] ? init_smb2_rsp_hdr+0x1e2/0x1f4 [ksmbd] [ 411.479497] kasan_report+0xb4/0x130 [ 411.479503] ? init_smb2_rsp_hdr+0x1e2/0x1f4 [ksmbd] [ 411.479537] kasan_check_range+0x149/0x1e0 [ 411.479543] memcpy+0x24/0x70 [ 411.479550] init_smb2_rsp_hdr+0x1e2/0x1f4 [ksmbd] [ 411.479585] handle_ksmbd_work+0x109/0x760 [ksmbd] [ 411.479616] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x50/0x50 [ 411.479624] ? smb3_encrypt_resp+0x340/0x340 [ksmbd] [ 411.479656] process_one_work+0x49c/0x790 [ 411.479667] worker_thread+0x2b1/0x6e0 [ 411.479674] ? process_one_work+0x790/0x790 [ 411.479680] kthread+0x177/0x1b0 [ 411.479686] ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x30/0x30 [ 411.479692] ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 [ 411.479702] </TASK>
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54203?
How do I fix CVE-2023-54203?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2023-54203 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54203 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-92h7-9rvh-996h, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54203.