CVE-2023-52699

sysv: don't call sb_bread() with pointers_lock held

MEDIUM
5.3
CVSS Score
Published: May 19, 2024 at 10:10 AM UTC
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 01:17 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

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Severity
MEDIUM5.3
Exploit prediction
EPSS 1.0%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sysv: don't call sb_bread() with pointers_lock held syzbot is reporting sleep in atomic context in SysV filesystem [1], for sb_bread() is called with rw_spinlock held. A "write_lock(&pointers_lock) => read_lock(&pointers_lock) deadlock" bug and a "sb_bread() with write_lock(&pointers_lock)" bug were introduced by "Replace BKL for chain locking with sysvfs-private rwlock" in Linux 2.5.12. Then, "[PATCH] err1-40: sysvfs locking fix" in Linux 2.6.8 fixed the former bug by moving pointers_lock lock to the callers, but instead introduced a "sb_bread() with read_lock(&pointers_lock)" bug (which made this problem easier to hit). Al Viro suggested that why not to do like get_branch()/get_block()/ find_shared() in Minix filesystem does. And doing like that is almost a revert of "[PATCH] err1-40: sysvfs locking fix" except that get_branch() from with find_shared() is called without write_lock(&pointers_lock).

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 4.19.3124.20 ≤ v < 5.4.2745.11 ≤ v < 5.15.1555.16 ≤ v < 6.1.865.5 ≤ v < 5.10.2156.2 ≤ v < 6.6.276.7 ≤ v < 6.8.61da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac22.6.12
Vendor states this is fixed in 13b33feb2ebddc2b1aa607f553566b18a4af1d76 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 1b4fe801b5bedec2b622ddb18e5c9bf26c63d79f (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 53cb1e52c9db618c08335984d1ca80db220ccf09 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 674c1c4229e743070e09db63a23442950ff000d1 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 89e8524135a3902e7563a5a59b7b5ec1bf4904ac (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a69224223746ab96d43e5db9d22d136827b7e2d3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in f123dc86388cb669c3d6322702dc441abc35c31e (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in fd203d2c671bdee9ab77090ff394d3b71b627927 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.12 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.312 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.215 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.155 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.274 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.86 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.27 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.8.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.9 (unaffected)

References (11)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13b33feb2ebddc2b1aa607f553566b18a4af1d76
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b4fe801b5bedec2b622ddb18e5c9bf26c63d79f
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/53cb1e52c9db618c08335984d1ca80db220ccf09
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/674c1c4229e743070e09db63a23442950ff000d1
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/89e8524135a3902e7563a5a59b7b5ec1bf4904ac
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a69224223746ab96d43e5db9d22d136827b7e2d3
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f123dc86388cb669c3d6322702dc441abc35c31e
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd203d2c671bdee9ab77090ff394d3b71b627927

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

5.3MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
LOW
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-667

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