Use After Free in Linux

CVE-2023-53608

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: fix potential UAF of struct nilfs_sc_info in nilfs_segctor_thread() The finalization of nilfs_segctor_thread() can race with nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() which terminates that thread, potentially causing a use-after-free BUG as KASAN detected. At the end of nilfs_segctor_thread(), it assigns NULL to "sc_task" member of "struct nilfs_sc_info" to indicate the thread has finished, and then notifies nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() of this using waitqueue "sc_wait_task" on the struct nilfs_sc_info. However, here, immediately after the NULL assignment to "sc_task", it is possible that nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() will detect it and return to continue the deallocation, freeing the nilfs_sc_info structure before the thread does the notification. This fixes the issue by protecting the NULL assignment to "sc_task" and its notification, with spinlock "sc_state_lock" of the struct nilfs_sc_info. Since nilfs_segctor_kill_thread() does a final check to see if "sc_task" is NULL with "sc_state_lock" locked, this can eliminate the race.

Vulnerability class: Use-After-Free

EPSS: 0.001 (3.7th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-53608?
CVE-2023-53608 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2025-10-04.
How severe is CVE-2023-53608?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.
Is CVE-2023-53608 known to be exploited?
1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.