Vulnerability · Published May 21, 2024 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-52854padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell()
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 15% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: padata: Fix refcnt handling in padata_free_shell() In a high-load arm64 environment, the pcrypt_aead01 test in LTP can lead to system UAF (Use-After-Free) issues. Due to the lengthy analysis of the pcrypt_aead01 function call, I'll describe the problem scenario using a simplified model: Suppose there's a user of padata named `user_function` that adheres to the padata requirement of calling `padata_free_shell` after `serial()` has been invoked, as demonstrated in the following code: ```c struct request { struct padata_priv padata; struct completion *done; }; void parallel(struct padata_priv *padata) { do_something(); } void serial(struct padata_priv *padata) { struct request *request = container_of(padata, struct request, padata); complete(request->done); } void user_function() { DECLARE_COMPLETION(done) padata->parallel = parallel; padata->serial = serial; padata_do_parallel(); wait_for_completion(&done); padata_free_shell(); } ``` In the corresponding padata.c file, there's the following code: ```c static void padata_serial_worker(struct work_struct *serial_work) { ... cnt = 0; while (!list_empty(&local_list)) { ... padata->serial(padata); cnt++; } local_bh_enable(); if (refcount_sub_and_test(cnt, &pd->refcnt)) padata_free_pd(pd); } ``` Because of the high system load and the accumulation of unexecuted softirq at this moment, `local_bh_enable()` in padata takes longer to execute than usual. Subsequently, when accessing `pd->refcnt`, `pd` has already been released by `padata_free_shell()`, resulting in a UAF issue with `pd->refcnt`. The fix is straightforward: add `refcount_dec_and_test` before calling `padata_free_pd` in `padata_free_shell`.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.64-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.6.8-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.6.8-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-100.110 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1056.61 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1058.66 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1058.66.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1053.61 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1052.57 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1038.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1048.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1050.56 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1052.57 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-100.110 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1046.46 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | 6.5.0-1014.14 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1025.25 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | 5.15.0-1012.12 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1053.59 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1048.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-xilinx-zynqmp | 5.15.0-1030.34 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 41aad9d6953984d134fc50f631f24ef476875d4d07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 0dd34a7ad395dbcf6ae60e48e9786050e25b9bc507928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before c7c26d0ef5d20f00dbb2ae3befcabbe0efa7727507928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 1e901bcb8af19416b65f5063a4af7996e5a51d7f07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 1734a79e951914f1db2c65e635012a35db1c674b07928d9bfc81640bab36f5190e8725894d93b659 – before 7ddc21e317b360c3444de3023bcc83b85fabae2f13721e447acc2b82c19cf72e9e6c4291c77693ed7a2ccb65f90168edc2348495bb56093c466ffa39 |
| Linux | Linux | 5.6 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/41aad9d6953984d134fc50f631f24ef476875d4d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0dd34a7ad395dbcf6ae60e48e9786050e25b9bc5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7c26d0ef5d20f00dbb2ae3befcabbe0efa77275
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e901bcb8af19416b65f5063a4af7996e5a51d7f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1734a79e951914f1db2c65e635012a35db1c674b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ddc21e317b360c3444de3023bcc83b85fabae2f