🛡️ CVE-2023-53478 on Ubuntu — linux
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing/synthetic: Fix races on freeing last_cmd Currently, the "last_cmd" variable can be accessed by multiple processes asynchronously when multiple users manipulate synthetic_events node at the same time, it could lead to use-after-free or double-free. This patch add "lastcmd_mutex" to prevent "last_cmd" from being accessed asynchronously. ================================================================ It's easy to reproduce in the KASAN environment by running the two scripts below in different shells. script 1: while : do echo -n -e '\x88' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events done script 2: while : do echo -n -e '\xb0' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events done ================================================================ double-free scenario: process A process B ------------------- --------------- 1.kstrdup last_cmd 2.free last_cmd 3.free last_cmd(double-free) ================================================================ use-after-free scenario: process A process B ------------------- --------------- 1.kstrdup last_cmd 2.free last_cmd 3.tracing_log_err(use-after-free) ================================================================ Appendix 1. KASAN report double-free: BUG: KASAN: double-free in kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 Free of addr * by task sh/4879 Call trace: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Allocated by task 4879: ... kstrdup+0x5c/0x98 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x6c/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Freed by task 5464: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... ================================================================ Appendix 2. KASAN report use-after-free: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in strlen+0x5c/0x7c Read of size 1 at addr * by task sh/5483 sh: CPU: 7 PID: 5483 Comm: sh ... __asan_report_load1_noabort+0x34/0x44 strlen+0x5c/0x7c tracing_log_err+0x60/0x444 create_or_delete_synth_event+0xc4/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Allocated by task 5483: ... kstrdup+0x5c/0x98 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x80/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ... Freed by task 5480: ... kfree+0xdc/0x1d4 create_or_delete_synth_event+0x74/0x204 trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8 synth_events_write+0x20/0x30 vfs_write+0x200/0x830 ...
Distribution advisory
This page covers CVE-2023-53478 as tracked by Ubuntu, for the package linux. No fixed version has been recorded for this distribution yet.
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 high, integrity high, 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:H/I:H/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: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
- Integrity impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
- Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
Affected software
UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53478 is recorded against 124 packages.
- linux
- linux-allwinner-5.19
- linux-aws
- linux-aws-5.0
- linux-aws-5.11
- linux-aws-5.13
- linux-aws-5.15
- linux-aws-5.19
- linux-aws-5.3
- linux-aws-5.4
- linux-aws-5.8
- linux-aws-6.2
- linux-aws-6.5
- linux-aws-fips
- linux-aws-hwe
- linux-azure
- linux-azure-4.15
- linux-azure-5.11
- linux-azure-5.13
- linux-azure-5.15
- linux-azure-5.19
- linux-azure-5.3
- linux-azure-5.4
- linux-azure-5.8
Show the remaining 100 packages
- linux-azure-6.11
- linux-azure-6.2
- linux-azure-6.5
- linux-azure-edge
- linux-azure-fde
- linux-azure-fde-5.15
- linux-azure-fde-5.19
- linux-azure-fde-6.2
- linux-azure-fips
- linux-bluefield
- linux-fips
- linux-gcp
- linux-gcp-4.15
- linux-gcp-5.11
- linux-gcp-5.13
- linux-gcp-5.15
- linux-gcp-5.19
- linux-gcp-5.3
- linux-gcp-5.4
- linux-gcp-5.8
- linux-gcp-6.11
- linux-gcp-6.2
- linux-gcp-6.5
- linux-gcp-fips
- linux-gke
- linux-gke-4.15
- linux-gke-5.15
- linux-gke-5.4
- linux-gkeop
- linux-gkeop-5.15
- linux-gkeop-5.4
- linux-hwe
- linux-hwe-5.11
- linux-hwe-5.13
- linux-hwe-5.15
- linux-hwe-5.19
- linux-hwe-5.4
- linux-hwe-5.8
- linux-hwe-6.11
- linux-hwe-6.2
- linux-hwe-6.5
- linux-hwe-edge
- linux-ibm
- linux-ibm-5.15
- linux-ibm-5.4
- linux-intel
- linux-intel-5.13
- linux-intel-iot-realtime
- linux-intel-iotg
- linux-intel-iotg-5.15
- linux-iot
- linux-kvm
- linux-lowlatency
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5
- linux-lts-xenial
- linux-nvidia
- linux-nvidia-6.2
- linux-nvidia-6.5
- linux-nvidia-tegra
- linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15
- linux-nvidia-tegra-igx
- 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
- linux-oracle-5.0
- linux-oracle-5.11
- linux-oracle-5.13
- linux-oracle-5.15
- linux-oracle-5.3
- linux-oracle-5.4
- linux-oracle-5.8
- linux-oracle-6.5
- linux-raspi
- linux-raspi-5.4
- linux-raspi-realtime
- linux-raspi2
- linux-realtime
- linux-riscv
- linux-riscv-5.11
- linux-riscv-5.15
- 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
Timeline and source
Published on 1 October 2025 and last revised on 19 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)
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-w6xv-3fg4-grm5 (published 29 Jan 2026)
- CGA-mcwh-q4vm-9f29 (published 29 Jan 2026)
- CGA-434c-h783-9v24 (published 7 Jan 2026)
- CGA-fmgm-3rrr-58xf (published 7 Jan 2026)
CVE-2023-53478 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:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux | — | — |
| linux-allwinner-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-aws-fips | — | — |
| linux-aws-hwe | — | — |
| linux-azure | — | — |
| linux-azure-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.4 | — | — |
| 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-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-azure-fde-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-azure-fde-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-azure-fips | — | — |
| linux-bluefield | — | — |
| linux-fips | — | — |
| linux-gcp | — | — |
| linux-gcp-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-fips | — | — |
| linux-gke | — | — |
| linux-gke-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop | — | — |
| linux-gkeop-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-hwe | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-edge | — | — |
| linux-ibm | — | — |
| linux-ibm-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-ibm-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-intel | — | — |
| linux-intel-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-intel-iot-realtime | — | — |
| linux-intel-iotg | — | — |
| linux-intel-iotg-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-iot | — | — |
| linux-kvm | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-lts-xenial | — | — |
| linux-nvidia | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-tegra | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | — | — |
| 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 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-raspi | — | — |
| linux-raspi-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-raspi-realtime | — | — |
| linux-raspi2 | — | — |
| linux-realtime | — | — |
| linux-riscv | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.15 | — | — |
| 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 | — | — |
References
Similar Threats
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