Vulnerability · Published Sep 15, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-53167tracing: Fix null pointer dereference in tracing_err_log_open()
Medium 5.5
In plain English
A medium-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 5% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Fix null pointer dereference in tracing_err_log_open() Fix an issue in function 'tracing_err_log_open'. The function doesn't call 'seq_open' if the file is opened only with write permissions, which results in 'file->private_data' being left as null. If we then use 'lseek' on that opened file, 'seq_lseek' dereferences 'file->private_data' in 'mutex_lock(&m->lock)', resulting in a kernel panic. Writing to this node requires root privileges, therefore this bug has very little security impact. Tracefs node: /sys/kernel/tracing/error_log Example Kernel panic: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000038 Call trace: mutex_lock+0x30/0x110 seq_lseek+0x34/0xb8 __arm64_sys_lseek+0x6c/0xb8 invoke_syscall+0x58/0x13c el0_svc_common+0xc4/0x10c do_el0_svc+0x24/0x98 el0_svc+0x24/0x88 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x84/0xe4 el0t_64_sync+0x1b4/0x1b8 Code: d503201f aa0803e0 aa1f03e1 aa0103e9 (c8e97d02) ---[ end trace 561d1b49c12cf8a5 ]--- Kernel panic - not syncing: Oops: Fatal exception
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.52-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.4.11-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.4.11-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-86.96 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1047.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1049.56 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1049.56.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1044.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1030.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-intel | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1043.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-86.95 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1037.37 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1018.18 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1005.5 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1045.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1025.29 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53167 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 8a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 93114cbc7cb169f6f26eeaed5286b91bb86b463b8a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 7060e5aac6dc195124c106f49106d653a416323a8a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 3b5d9b7b875968a8a8c99dac45cb85b705c448028a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 938d5b7a75e18264887387ddf9169db6d8aeef988a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 1e1c9aa9288a46c342f0f2c5c0b1c0876b9b02768a062902be725f647dc8da532b04d836546a369a – before 02b0095e2fbbc060560c1065f86a211d91e27b26 |
| Linux | Linux | 5.2 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93114cbc7cb169f6f26eeaed5286b91bb86b463b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7060e5aac6dc195124c106f49106d653a416323a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b5d9b7b875968a8a8c99dac45cb85b705c44802
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/938d5b7a75e18264887387ddf9169db6d8aeef98
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e1c9aa9288a46c342f0f2c5c0b1c0876b9b0276
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/02b0095e2fbbc060560c1065f86a211d91e27b26