CVE-2023-53531

null_blk: fix poll request timeout handling

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: October 1, 2025 at 11:46 AM UTC
Updated: August 5, 2026 at 10:24 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: null_blk: fix poll request timeout handling When doing io_uring benchmark on /dev/nullb0, it's easy to crash the kernel if poll requests timeout triggered, as reported by David. [1] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000008 Workqueue: kblockd blk_mq_timeout_work RIP: 0010:null_timeout_rq+0x4e/0x91 Call Trace: ? null_timeout_rq+0x4e/0x91 blk_mq_handle_expired+0x31/0x4b bt_iter+0x68/0x84 ? bt_tags_iter+0x81/0x81 __sbitmap_for_each_set.constprop.0+0xb0/0xf2 ? __blk_mq_complete_request_remote+0xf/0xf bt_for_each+0x46/0x64 ? __blk_mq_complete_request_remote+0xf/0xf ? percpu_ref_get_many+0xc/0x2a blk_mq_queue_tag_busy_iter+0x14d/0x18e blk_mq_timeout_work+0x95/0x127 process_one_work+0x185/0x263 worker_thread+0x1b5/0x227 This is indeed a race problem between null_timeout_rq() and null_poll(). null_poll() null_timeout_rq() spin_lock(&nq->poll_lock) list_splice_init(&nq->poll_list, &list) spin_unlock(&nq->poll_lock) while (!list_empty(&list)) req = list_first_entry() list_del_init() ... blk_mq_add_to_batch() // req->rq_next = NULL spin_lock(&nq->poll_lock) // rq->queuelist->next == NULL list_del_init(&rq->queuelist) spin_unlock(&nq->poll_lock) Fix these problems by setting requests state to MQ_RQ_COMPLETE under nq->poll_lock protection, in which null_timeout_rq() can safely detect this race and early return. Note this patch just fix the kernel panic when request timeout happen. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

Affected

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

5.16 ≤ v < 6.1.545.16 ≤ v < 6.5.45.16 ≤ v < 6.66.2 ≤ v < 6.5.40a593fbbc245a85940ed34caa3aa1e4cb060c54b5.16
Vendor states this is fixed in 5a26e45edb4690d58406178b5a9ea4c6dcf2c105 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a0b4a0666beacfe8add9c71d8922475541dbae73 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a7cb2e709f2927cc3c76781df3e45de2381b3b9d (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.54 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.5.4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6 (unaffected)

CVSS

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

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-476

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