Vulnerability · Published Dec 24, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-53998hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data
Unrated
In plain English
A 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 11% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data The virtio rng device kicks off a new entropy request whenever the data available reaches zero. When a new request occurs at the end of a read operation, that is, when the result of that request is only needed by the next reader, then there is a race between the writing of the new data and the next reader. This is because there is no synchronisation whatsoever between the writer and the reader. Fix this by writing data_avail with smp_store_release and reading it with smp_load_acquire when we first enter read. The subsequent reads are safe because they're either protected by the first load acquire, or by the completion mechanism. Also remove the redundant zeroing of data_idx in random_recv_done (data_idx must already be zero at this point) and data_avail in request_entropy (ditto).
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.52-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.4.4-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.4.4-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-86.96 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1047.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1049.56 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1049.56.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1044.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1030.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1043.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1044.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-86.95 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1037.37 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1018.18 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1005.5 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1045.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1040.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1025.29 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53998 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | f7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before 241ef15776a7c8505008db689175b320d345ecd3f7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before a43bcb0b661cbbf3ad797d2aee6b6fd06b8fc69df7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before 77471e4912d3960dafe141e268c44be8024fe4dcf7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before c76d991b6f01a5d931e7053a73bc9524975a5215f7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before 22c30022cde6e2c88612b3a499223cfa912f1bc7f7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before 318657b4c2077289659f1cd9e2a34f6a3b208e3ef7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before 2fc91f156b3f3446a1bce80cf4adedcbf41271c2f7f510ec195781c857ab76366a3e1c59e1caae42 – before ac52578d6e8d300dd50f790f29a24169b1edd26c |
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.26 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/241ef15776a7c8505008db689175b320d345ecd3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a43bcb0b661cbbf3ad797d2aee6b6fd06b8fc69d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/77471e4912d3960dafe141e268c44be8024fe4dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c76d991b6f01a5d931e7053a73bc9524975a5215
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22c30022cde6e2c88612b3a499223cfa912f1bc7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/318657b4c2077289659f1cd9e2a34f6a3b208e3e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fc91f156b3f3446a1bce80cf4adedcbf41271c2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac52578d6e8d300dd50f790f29a24169b1edd26c