# CVE-2023-54234: scsi: mpi3mr: Fix missing mrioc->evtack_cmds initialization

> A missing initialization in the mpi3mr SCSI driver causes a use-after-free bug, leading to kernel crashes during firmware updates.

- **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:** 30 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-54234, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54234, GHSA-6fx2-6qwr-35w9, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2023-54234, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54234

## What is CVE-2023-54234?

CVE-2023-54234 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 30 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:

scsi: mpi3mr: Fix missing mrioc->evtack_cmds initialization

Commit c1af985d27da ("scsi: mpi3mr: Add Event acknowledgment logic")
introduced an array mrioc->evtack_cmds but initialization of the array
elements was missed. They are just zero cleared. The function
mpi3mr_complete_evt_ack() refers host_tag field of the elements. Due to the
zero value of the host_tag field, the function calls clear_bit() for
mrico->evtack_cmds_bitmap with wrong bit index. This results in memory
access to invalid address and "BUG: KASAN: use-after-free". This BUG was
observed at eHBA-9600 firmware update to version 8.3.1.0. To fix it, add
the missing initialization of mrioc->evtack_cmds.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54234?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-54234?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-54234 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54234 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54234 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-54234 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 30 Dec 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-2023-54234 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2023-54234/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54234/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54234
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54234
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54234

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54234/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.