Vulnerability · Published May 21, 2024 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2023-52854padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell()

High 7.8

In plain English

A high-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 15% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS NVD)7.8High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 84.5% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell() In a high-load arm64 environment, the pcrypt_aead01 test in LTP can lead to system UAF (Use-After-Free) issues. Due to the lengthy analysis of the pcrypt_aead01 function call, I'll describe the problem scenario using a simplified model: Suppose there's a user of padata named `user_function` that adheres to the padata requirement of calling `padata_free_shell` after `serial()` has been invoked, as demonstrated in the following code: ```c struct request { struct padata_priv padata; struct completion *done; }; void parallel(struct padata_priv *padata) { do_something(); } void serial(struct padata_priv *padata) { struct request *request = container_of(padata, struct request, padata); complete(request->done); } void user_function() { DECLARE_COMPLETION(done) padata->parallel = parallel; padata->serial = serial; padata_do_parallel(); wait_for_completion(&done); padata_free_shell(); } ``` In the corresponding padata.c file, there's the following code: ```c static void padata_serial_worker(struct work_struct *serial_work) { ... cnt = 0; while (!list_empty(&local_list)) { ... padata->serial(padata); cnt++; } local_bh_enable(); if (refcount_sub_and_test(cnt, &pd->refcnt)) padata_free_pd(pd); } ``` Because of the high system load and the accumulation of unexecuted softirq at this moment, `local_bh_enable()` in padata takes longer to execute than usual. Subsequently, when accessing `pd->refcnt`, `pd` has already been released by `padata_free_shell()`, resulting in a UAF issue with `pd->refcnt`. The fix is straightforward: add `refcount_dec_and_test` before calling `padata_free_pd` in `padata_free_shell`.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.64-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854
Debian:13linux6.6.8-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854
Debian:14linux6.6.8-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-100.110UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1056.61UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1058.66UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde5.15.0-1058.66.1UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1053.61UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1052.57UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1038.44UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1048.51UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1050.56UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1052.57UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-100.110UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1046.46UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.56.5.0-1014.14UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1025.25UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1012.12UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1053.59UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1048.51UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1030.34UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 41aad9d6953984d134fc50f631f24ef476875d4d07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 0dd34a7ad395dbcf6ae60e48e9786050e25b9bc507928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before c7c26d0ef5d20f00dbb2ae3befcabbe0efa7727507928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 1e901bcb8af19416b65f5063a4af7996e5a51d7f07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 1734a79e951914f1db2c65e635012a35db1c674b07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 7ddc21e317b360c3444de3023bcc83b85fabae2f13721e447acc2b82c19cf72e9e6c4291c77693ed7a2ccb65f90168edc2348495bb56093c466ffa39
Linux Linux 5.6

References