Vulnerability · Published May 21, 2024 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2023-52879tracing: Have trace_event_file have ref counters

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 14% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)7.8High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 86.4% 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: tracing: Have trace_event_file have ref counters The following can crash the kernel: # cd /sys/kernel/tracing # echo 'p:sched schedule' > kprobe_events # exec 5>>events/kprobes/sched/enable # > kprobe_events # exec 5>&- The above commands: 1. Change directory to the tracefs directory 2. Create a kprobe event (doesn't matter what one) 3. Open bash file descriptor 5 on the enable file of the kprobe event 4. Delete the kprobe event (removes the files too) 5. Close the bash file descriptor 5 The above causes a crash! BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000028 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI CPU: 6 PID: 877 Comm: bash Not tainted 6.5.0-rc4-test-00008-g2c6b6b1029d4-dirty #186 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.2-debian-1.16.2-1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:tracing_release_file_tr+0xc/0x50 What happens here is that the kprobe event creates a trace_event_file "file" descriptor that represents the file in tracefs to the event. It maintains state of the event (is it enabled for the given instance?). Opening the "enable" file gets a reference to the event "file" descriptor via the open file descriptor. When the kprobe event is deleted, the file is also deleted from the tracefs system which also frees the event "file" descriptor. But as the tracefs file is still opened by user space, it will not be totally removed until the final dput() is called on it. But this is not true with the event "file" descriptor that is already freed. If the user does a write to or simply closes the file descriptor it will reference the event "file" descriptor that was just freed, causing a use-after-free bug. To solve this, add a ref count to the event "file" descriptor as well as a new flag called "FREED". The "file" will not be freed until the last reference is released. But the FREE flag will be set when the event is removed to prevent any more modifications to that event from happening, even if there's still a reference to the event "file" descriptor.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.64-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52879
Debian:13linux6.6.8-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52879
Debian:14linux6.6.8-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotgno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:25.10linux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:26.10linux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-vmwareno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-52879

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux e6807c873d8791ae5a5186ad05ec66cab926539a – before 961c4511c7578d6b8f39118be919016ec3db1c1e407bf1c140f0757706c0b28604bcc90837d45ce2 – before a98172e36e5f1b3d29ad71fade2d611cfcc2fe6ffa6d449e4d024d8c17f4288e0567d28ace69415c – before cbc7c29dff0fa18162f2a3889d82eeefd67305e0a46bf337a20f9edd3c8041b025639842280d0575 – before 2fa74d29fc1899c237d51bf9a6e132ea5c4889769beec04370132a7a6cd1aa9897f6fffc6262ff28 – before 2c9de867ca285c397cd71af703763fe416265706f5ca233e2e66dc1c249bf07eefa37e34a6c9346a – before 9034c87d61be8cff989017740a91701ac8195a1df5ca233e2e66dc1c249bf07eefa37e34a6c9346a – before bb32500fb9b78215e4ef6ee8b4345c5f5d7eafb45.4.258 – before 5.4.262
Linux Linux 6.6

References