CVE-2023-53281

drivers: staging: rtl8723bs: Fix locking in _rtw_join_timeout_handler()

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: September 16, 2025 at 08:11 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:44 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drivers: staging: rtl8723bs: Fix locking in _rtw_join_timeout_handler() Commit 041879b12ddb ("drivers: staging: rtl8192bs: Fix deadlock in rtw_joinbss_event_prehandle()") besides fixing the deadlock also modified _rtw_join_timeout_handler() to use spin_[un]lock_irq() instead of spin_[un]lock_bh(). _rtw_join_timeout_handler() calls rtw_do_join() which takes pmlmepriv->scanned_queue.lock using spin_[un]lock_bh(). This spin_unlock_bh() call re-enables softirqs which triggers an oops in kernel/softirq.c: __local_bh_enable_ip() when it calls lockdep_assert_irqs_enabled(): [ 244.506087] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 0 at kernel/softirq.c:376 __local_bh_enable_ip+0xa6/0x100 ... [ 244.509022] Call Trace: [ 244.509048] <IRQ> [ 244.509100] _rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x134/0x170 [r8723bs] [ 244.509468] ? __pfx__rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x10/0x10 [r8723bs] [ 244.509772] ? __pfx__rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x10/0x10 [r8723bs] [ 244.510076] call_timer_fn+0x95/0x2a0 [ 244.510200] __run_timers.part.0+0x1da/0x2d0 This oops is causd by the switch to spin_[un]lock_irq() which disables the IRQs for the entire duration of _rtw_join_timeout_handler(). Disabling the IRQs is not necessary since all code taking this lock runs from either user contexts or from softirqs, switch back to spin_[un]lock_bh() to fix this.

Affected

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

v ≥ 5.17.15v ≥ 5.18.45.15.47 ≤ v < 5.15.1115.17.15 ≤ v < 5.185.18.4 ≤ v < 5.195.18.4 ≤ v < 6.1.285.19 ≤ v < 6.1.285.19 ≤ v < 6.2.155.19 ≤ v < 6.3.25.19 ≤ v < 6.46.2 ≤ v < 6.2.156.3 ≤ v < 6.3.21f6c99b94ca3caad346876b3e22e3ca3d25bc8ee41879b12ddb0c6c83ed9c0bdd10dc82a56f2fc5.15.475.17.155.18.45.19ae60744d5fad840b9d056d35b4b652d95e755846eca9748d9267a38d532464e3305a38629e9c35a9
Vendor states this is fixed in 209850f17717a3b5cc558578bef5631ac7045539 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 215792eda008f6a1e7ed9d77fa20d582d22bb114 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2a50e44a66d268ee5db3d177f1fdc1503dbce6e7 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4ab1bace1dd3875371b481ef4301c4671bddea22 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in dc327e87c6d9bfd9ee08e76396b3c0ba848ec554 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.111 (unaffected)
Affected range stops below 5.18, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.19 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.28 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.2.15 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.3.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4 (unaffected)

References (5)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/209850f17717a3b5cc558578bef5631ac7045539
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/215792eda008f6a1e7ed9d77fa20d582d22bb114
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a50e44a66d268ee5db3d177f1fdc1503dbce6e7
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ab1bace1dd3875371b481ef4301c4671bddea22
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc327e87c6d9bfd9ee08e76396b3c0ba848ec554

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

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

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-667

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