CVE-2023-54293 bcache: fixup btree_cache_wait list damage
A use-after-free flaw in the Linux kernel bcache subsystem allows local attackers to cause a system crash via list corruption.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-54293?
CVE-2023-54293 is an 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:
bcache: fixup btree_cache_wait list damage
We get a kernel crash about "list_add corruption. next->prev should be prev (ffff9c801bc01210), but was ffff9c77b688237c. (next=ffffae586d8afe68)."
crash> struct list_head 0xffff9c801bc01210 struct list_head { next = 0xffffae586d8afe68, prev = 0xffffae586d8afe68 } crash> struct list_head 0xffff9c77b688237c struct list_head { next = 0x0, prev = 0x0 } crash> struct list_head 0xffffae586d8afe68 struct list_head struct: invalid kernel virtual address: ffffae586d8afe68 type: "gdb_readmem_callback" Cannot access memory at address 0xffffae586d8afe68
[230469.019492] Call Trace: [230469.032041] prepare_to_wait+0x8a/0xb0 [230469.044363] ? bch_btree_keys_free+0x6c/0xc0 [escache] [230469.056533] mca_cannibalize_lock+0x72/0x90 [escache] [230469.068788] mca_alloc+0x2ae/0x450 [escache] [230469.080790] bch_btree_node_get+0x136/0x2d0 [escache] [230469.092681] bch_btree_check_thread+0x1e1/0x260 [escache] [230469.104382] ? finish_wait+0x80/0x80 [230469.115884] ? bch_btree_check_recurse+0x1a0/0x1a0 [escache] [230469.127259] kthread+0x112/0x130 [230469.138448] ? kthread_flush_work_fn+0x10/0x10 [230469.149477] ret_from_fork+0x35/0x40
bch_btree_check_thread() and bch_dirty_init_thread() may call mca_cannibalize() to cannibalize other cached btree nodes. Only one thread can do it at a time, so the op of other threads will be added to the btree_cache_wait list.
We must call finish_wait() to remove op from btree_cache_wait before free it's memory address. Otherwise, the list will be damaged. Also should call bch_cannibalize_unlock() to release the btree_cache_alloc_lock and wake_up other waiters.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54293?
How do I fix CVE-2023-54293?
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-2023-54293 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54293 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-54293, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54293, GHSA-v9cw-759q-rvpj, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54293.