Vulnerability · Published Sep 16, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-53281drivers: staging: rtl8723bs: Fix locking in _rtw_join_timeout_handler()
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 0.1% (higher than 2% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official 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 packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.37-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.3.7-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.3.7-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-79.86 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1042.47 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1045.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1045.52.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1039.47 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1039.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1025.30 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1035.38 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-intel | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1037.42 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1039.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-79.88 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1030.30 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1016.16 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1002.2 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1040.46 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1035.38 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1025.29 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53281 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ae60744d5fad840b9d056d35b4b652d95e755846 – before 209850f17717a3b5cc558578bef5631ac7045539041879b12ddb0c6c83ed9c0bdd10dc82a056f2fc – before 2a50e44a66d268ee5db3d177f1fdc1503dbce6e7041879b12ddb0c6c83ed9c0bdd10dc82a056f2fc – before dc327e87c6d9bfd9ee08e76396b3c0ba848ec554041879b12ddb0c6c83ed9c0bdd10dc82a056f2fc – before 4ab1bace1dd3875371b481ef4301c4671bddea22041879b12ddb0c6c83ed9c0bdd10dc82a056f2fc – before 215792eda008f6a1e7ed9d77fa20d582d22bb1141f6c99b94ca3caad346876b3e22e3ca3d25bc8eeeca9748d9267a38d532464e3305a38629e9c35a95.15.47 – before 5.15.111 |
| Linux | Linux | 5.19 |
Weakness: CWE-667 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/209850f17717a3b5cc558578bef5631ac7045539
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a50e44a66d268ee5db3d177f1fdc1503dbce6e7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc327e87c6d9bfd9ee08e76396b3c0ba848ec554
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ab1bace1dd3875371b481ef4301c4671bddea22
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/215792eda008f6a1e7ed9d77fa20d582d22bb114