🛡️ CVE-2023-53421 on Ubuntu — linux
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-cgroup: Reinit blkg_iostat_set after clearing in blkcg_reset_stats() When blkg_alloc() is called to allocate a blkcg_gq structure with the associated blkg_iostat_set's, there are 2 fields within blkg_iostat_set that requires proper initialization - blkg & sync. The former field was introduced by commit 3b8cc6298724 ("blk-cgroup: Optimize blkcg_rstat_flush()") while the later one was introduced by commit f73316482977 ("blk-cgroup: reimplement basic IO stats using cgroup rstat"). Unfortunately those fields in the blkg_iostat_set's are not properly re-initialized when they are cleared in v1's blkcg_reset_stats(). This can lead to a kernel panic due to NULL pointer access of the blkg pointer. The missing initialization of sync is less problematic and can be a problem in a debug kernel due to missing lockdep initialization. Fix these problems by re-initializing them after memory clearing.
Distribution advisory
This page covers CVE-2023-53421 as tracked by Ubuntu, for the package linux. The fix is available in version 5.15.0-176.186; earlier versions remain affected.
How this vulnerability can be exploited
This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.
CVSS metrics in full
The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
- Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
- Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
- User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
- Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality impact: None.
- Integrity impact: None.
- Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
Affected software
UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53421 is recorded against 111 packages.
- linux (fixed in 5.15.0-176.186)
- linux-allwinner-5.19
- linux-aws (fixed in 5.15.0-1105.112)
- linux-aws-5.0
- linux-aws-5.11
- linux-aws-5.13
- linux-aws-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1105.112~20.04.1)
- linux-aws-5.19
- linux-aws-5.3
- linux-aws-5.8
- linux-aws-6.2
- linux-aws-6.5
- linux-aws-fips (fixed in 5.15.0-1105.112+fips1)
- linux-azure (fixed in 5.15.0-1110.119)
- linux-azure-5.11
- linux-azure-5.13
- linux-azure-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1)
- linux-azure-5.19
- linux-azure-5.3
- linux-azure-5.8
- linux-azure-6.11
- linux-azure-6.2
- linux-azure-6.5
- linux-azure-edge
Show the remaining 87 packages
- linux-azure-fde
- linux-azure-fde-5.19
- linux-azure-fde-6.2
- linux-azure-fips (fixed in 5.15.0-1110.119+fips1)
- linux-bluefield
- linux-fips (fixed in 5.15.0-176.186+fips1)
- linux-gcp (fixed in 5.15.0-1105.114)
- linux-gcp-5.11
- linux-gcp-5.13
- linux-gcp-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1106.115~20.04.1)
- linux-gcp-5.19
- linux-gcp-5.3
- linux-gcp-5.8
- linux-gcp-6.11
- linux-gcp-6.2
- linux-gcp-6.5
- linux-gcp-fips (fixed in 5.15.0-1105.114+fips1)
- linux-gke (fixed in 5.15.0-1101.107)
- linux-gke-4.15
- linux-gke-5.15
- linux-gke-5.4
- linux-gkeop (fixed in 5.15.0-1088.96)
- linux-gkeop-5.15
- linux-gkeop-5.4
- linux-hwe
- linux-hwe-5.11
- linux-hwe-5.13
- linux-hwe-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-176.186~20.04.1)
- linux-hwe-5.19
- linux-hwe-5.8
- linux-hwe-6.11
- linux-hwe-6.2
- linux-hwe-6.5
- linux-hwe-edge
- linux-ibm (fixed in 5.15.0-1099.102)
- linux-ibm-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1099.102~20.04.1)
- linux-intel
- linux-intel-5.13
- linux-intel-iot-realtime (fixed in 5.15.0-1097.99)
- linux-intel-iotg (fixed in 5.15.0-1100.106)
- linux-intel-iotg-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1100.106~20.04.1)
- linux-kvm (fixed in 5.15.0-1097.102)
- linux-lowlatency (fixed in 5.15.0-175.185)
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-175.185~20.04.1)
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5
- linux-nvidia (fixed in 5.15.0-1100.101)
- linux-nvidia-6.2
- linux-nvidia-6.5
- linux-nvidia-tegra (fixed in 5.15.0-1057.57)
- linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1057.57~20.04.1)
- linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (fixed in 5.15.0-1046.46)
- linux-oem
- linux-oem-5.10
- linux-oem-5.13
- linux-oem-5.14
- linux-oem-5.17
- linux-oem-5.6
- linux-oem-6.0
- linux-oem-6.1
- linux-oem-6.11
- linux-oem-6.5
- linux-oem-6.8
- linux-oracle (fixed in 5.15.0-1102.108)
- linux-oracle-5.0
- linux-oracle-5.11
- linux-oracle-5.13
- linux-oracle-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1102.108~20.04.1)
- linux-oracle-5.3
- linux-oracle-5.8
- linux-oracle-6.5
- linux-raspi (fixed in 5.15.0-1099.102)
- linux-raspi-realtime
- linux-raspi2
- linux-realtime
- linux-riscv
- linux-riscv-5.11
- linux-riscv-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1099.103~20.04.1)
- linux-riscv-5.19
- linux-riscv-5.8
- linux-riscv-6.5
- linux-starfive-5.19
- linux-starfive-6.2
- linux-starfive-6.5
- linux-xilinx-zynqmp (fixed in 5.15.0-1070.74)
Timeline and source
Published on 18 September 2025 and last revised on 17 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. Record sourced from OSV.
References
ubuntu.com (Report)
www.cve.org (Report)
git.kernel.org (Report)
git.kernel.org (Report)
git.kernel.org (Report)
git.kernel.org (Report)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
ubuntu.com (Advisory)
Other advisories for this package
linux has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:
- DEBIAN-CVE-2022-4994 (published 30 Jul 2026)
- CVE-2026-35233 (4.4 Medium, published 1 May 2026)
- CVE-2026-21996 (3.3 Low, published 1 May 2026)
- CVE-2026-21991 (5.5 Medium, published 16 Mar 2026)
- CGA-mcwh-q4vm-9f29 (published 29 Jan 2026)
- CGA-w6xv-3fg4-grm5 (published 29 Jan 2026)
- CGA-8vhr-fq3f-qx7q (published 7 Jan 2026)
- CGA-p49v-mx3v-9ff2 (published 7 Jan 2026)
CVE-2023-53421 on other distributions
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux | — | 5.15.0-176.186 |
| linux-allwinner-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws | — | 5.15.0-1105.112 |
| linux-aws-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1105.112~20.04.1 |
| linux-aws-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-aws-fips | — | 5.15.0-1105.112+fips1 |
| linux-azure | — | 5.15.0-1110.119 |
| linux-azure-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1 |
| linux-azure-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-azure-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-azure-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-azure-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-azure-edge | — | — |
| linux-azure-fde | — | — |
| linux-azure-fde-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-azure-fde-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-azure-fips | — | 5.15.0-1110.119+fips1 |
| linux-bluefield | — | — |
| linux-fips | — | 5.15.0-176.186+fips1 |
| linux-gcp | — | 5.15.0-1105.114 |
| linux-gcp-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1106.115~20.04.1 |
| linux-gcp-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-fips | — | 5.15.0-1105.114+fips1 |
| linux-gke | — | 5.15.0-1101.107 |
| linux-gke-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop | — | 5.15.0-1088.96 |
| linux-gkeop-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-hwe | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-176.186~20.04.1 |
| linux-hwe-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-edge | — | — |
| linux-ibm | — | 5.15.0-1099.102 |
| linux-ibm-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1099.102~20.04.1 |
| linux-intel | — | — |
| linux-intel-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-intel-iot-realtime | — | 5.15.0-1097.99 |
| linux-intel-iotg | — | 5.15.0-1100.106 |
| linux-intel-iotg-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1100.106~20.04.1 |
| linux-kvm | — | 5.15.0-1097.102 |
| linux-lowlatency | — | 5.15.0-175.185 |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-175.185~20.04.1 |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia | — | 5.15.0-1100.101 |
| linux-nvidia-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-tegra | — | 5.15.0-1057.57 |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1057.57~20.04.1 |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | — | 5.15.0-1046.46 |
| linux-oem | — | — |
| linux-oem-5.10 | — | — |
| linux-oem-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-oem-5.14 | — | — |
| linux-oem-5.17 | — | — |
| linux-oem-5.6 | — | — |
| linux-oem-6.0 | — | — |
| linux-oem-6.1 | — | — |
| linux-oem-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-oem-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-oem-6.8 | — | — |
| linux-oracle | — | 5.15.0-1102.108 |
| linux-oracle-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1102.108~20.04.1 |
| linux-oracle-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-raspi | — | 5.15.0-1099.102 |
| linux-raspi-realtime | — | — |
| linux-raspi2 | — | — |
| linux-realtime | — | — |
| linux-riscv | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1099.103~20.04.1 |
| linux-riscv-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-riscv-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-starfive-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-starfive-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-starfive-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-xilinx-zynqmp | — | 5.15.0-1070.74 |
References
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