Vulnerability · Published Sep 16, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-53291rcu/rcuscale: Stop kfree_scale_thread thread(s) after unloading rcuscale
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 4% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu/rcuscale: Stop kfree_scale_thread thread(s) after unloading rcuscale Running the 'kfree_rcu_test' test case [1] results in a splat [2]. The root cause is the kfree_scale_thread thread(s) continue running after unloading the rcuscale module. This commit fixes that isue by invoking kfree_scale_cleanup() from rcu_scale_cleanup() when removing the rcuscale module. [1] modprobe rcuscale kfree_rcu_test=1 // After some time rmmod rcuscale rmmod torture [2] BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffffffc0601a87 #PF: supervisor instruction fetch in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0010) - not-present page PGD 11de4f067 P4D 11de4f067 PUD 11de51067 PMD 112f4d067 PTE 0 Oops: 0010 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 1 PID: 1798 Comm: kfree_scale_thr Not tainted 6.3.0-rc1-rcu+ #1 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 RIP: 0010:0xffffffffc0601a87 Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0xffffffffc0601a5d. RSP: 0018:ffffb25bc2e57e18 EFLAGS: 00010297 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffffffc061f0b6 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffffffff962fd0de RDI: ffffffff962fd0de RBP: ffffb25bc2e57ea8 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000001 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 000000000000000a R15: 00000000001c1dbe FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff921fa2200000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: ffffffffc0601a5d CR3: 000000011de4c006 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ? kvfree_call_rcu+0xf0/0x3a0 ? kthread+0xf3/0x120 ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 ? ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 </TASK> Modules linked in: rfkill sunrpc ... [last unloaded: torture] CR2: ffffffffc0601a87 ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.52-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.4.4-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.4.4-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-86.96 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1047.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1049.56 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1049.56.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1044.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1030.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-intel | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1043.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-86.95 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1037.37 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1018.18 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1005.5 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1045.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1025.29 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53291 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | e6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before 604d6a5ff718874904b0fe614878a42b42c0d699e6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before f766d45ab294871a3d588ee76c666852f151cad9e6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before b8a6ba524d41f4da102e65f90498d9a910839621e6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before 1dd7547c7610723b2b6afe1a3c4ddb2bde63387ce6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before 29b1da4f90fc42c91beb4e400d926194925ad31be6e78b004fa7e0ab455d46d27f218bf6ce178a18 – before 23fc8df26dead16687ae6eb47b0561a4a832e2f6 |
| Linux | Linux | 5.6 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/604d6a5ff718874904b0fe614878a42b42c0d699
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f766d45ab294871a3d588ee76c666852f151cad9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b8a6ba524d41f4da102e65f90498d9a910839621
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1dd7547c7610723b2b6afe1a3c4ddb2bde63387c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29b1da4f90fc42c91beb4e400d926194925ad31b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23fc8df26dead16687ae6eb47b0561a4a832e2f6