🛡️ CVE-2023-53481 on Ubuntu — linux
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ubi: ubi_wl_put_peb: Fix infinite loop when wear-leveling work failed Following process will trigger an infinite loop in ubi_wl_put_peb(): ubifs_bgt ubi_bgt ubifs_leb_unmap ubi_leb_unmap ubi_eba_unmap_leb ubi_wl_put_peb wear_leveling_worker e1 = rb_entry(rb_first(&ubi->used) e2 = get_peb_for_wl(ubi) ubi_io_read_vid_hdr // return err (flash fault) out_error: ubi->move_from = ubi->move_to = NULL wl_entry_destroy(ubi, e1) ubi->lookuptbl[e->pnum] = NULL retry: e = ubi->lookuptbl[pnum]; // return NULL if (e == ubi->move_from) { // NULL == NULL gets true goto retry; // infinite loop !!! $ top PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM COMMAND 7676 root 20 0 0 0 0 R 100.0 0.0 ubifs_bgt0_0 Fix it by: 1) Letting ubi_wl_put_peb() returns directly if wearl leveling entry has been removed from 'ubi->lookuptbl'. 2) Using 'ubi->wl_lock' protecting wl entry deletion to preventing an use-after-free problem for wl entry in ubi_wl_put_peb(). Fetch a reproducer in [Link].
Distribution advisory
This page covers CVE-2023-53481 as tracked by Ubuntu, for the package linux. The fix is available in version 5.15.0-79.86; 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 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-2023-53481 is recorded against 123 packages.
- linux (fixed in 5.15.0-79.86)
- linux-allwinner-5.19
- linux-aws (fixed in 5.15.0-1042.47)
- linux-aws-5.0
- linux-aws-5.11
- linux-aws-5.13
- linux-aws-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1041.46~20.04.1)
- linux-aws-5.19
- linux-aws-5.3
- linux-aws-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1104.112~18.04.1)
- linux-aws-5.8
- linux-aws-6.2
- linux-aws-6.5
- linux-aws-fips
- linux-aws-hwe
- linux-azure (fixed in 5.15.0-1045.52)
- linux-azure-4.15
- linux-azure-5.11
- linux-azure-5.13
- linux-azure-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1045.52~20.04.1)
- linux-azure-5.19
- linux-azure-5.3
- linux-azure-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1110.116~18.04.1)
- linux-azure-5.8
Show the remaining 99 packages
- 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
- linux-bluefield
- linux-fips
- linux-gcp (fixed in 5.15.0-1039.47)
- linux-gcp-4.15
- linux-gcp-5.11
- linux-gcp-5.13
- linux-gcp-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1039.47~20.04.1)
- linux-gcp-5.19
- linux-gcp-5.3
- linux-gcp-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1107.116~18.04.1)
- linux-gcp-5.8
- linux-gcp-6.11
- linux-gcp-6.2
- linux-gcp-6.5
- linux-gcp-fips
- linux-gke (fixed in 5.15.0-1039.44)
- linux-gke-4.15
- linux-gke-5.15
- linux-gke-5.4
- linux-gkeop (fixed in 5.15.0-1025.30)
- linux-gkeop-5.15
- linux-gkeop-5.4
- linux-hwe
- linux-hwe-5.11
- linux-hwe-5.13
- linux-hwe-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-79.86~20.04.2)
- linux-hwe-5.19
- linux-hwe-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-152.169~18.04.1)
- linux-hwe-5.8
- linux-hwe-6.11
- linux-hwe-6.2
- linux-hwe-6.5
- linux-hwe-edge
- linux-ibm (fixed in 5.15.0-1035.38)
- linux-ibm-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1036.39~20.04.1)
- linux-ibm-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1051.56~18.04.1)
- linux-intel
- linux-intel-5.13
- linux-intel-iot-realtime (fixed in 5.15.0-1036.38)
- linux-intel-iotg (fixed in 5.15.0-1037.42)
- linux-intel-iotg-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1037.42~20.04.1)
- linux-iot (fixed in 5.4.0-1017.18)
- linux-kvm (fixed in 5.15.0-1039.44)
- linux-lowlatency (fixed in 5.15.0-79.88)
- linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-79.88~20.04.1)
- 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 (fixed in 5.15.0-1030.30)
- linux-nvidia-6.2
- linux-nvidia-6.5
- linux-nvidia-tegra (fixed in 5.15.0-1016.16)
- linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1016.16~20.04.1)
- linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (fixed in 5.15.0-1002.2)
- 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 5.15.0-1040.46)
- linux-oracle-5.0
- linux-oracle-5.11
- linux-oracle-5.13
- linux-oracle-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1040.46~20.04.1)
- linux-oracle-5.3
- linux-oracle-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1103.112~18.04.1)
- linux-oracle-5.8
- linux-oracle-6.5
- linux-raspi (fixed in 5.15.0-1035.38)
- linux-raspi-5.4 (fixed in 5.4.0-1088.99~18.04.1)
- linux-raspi-realtime
- linux-raspi2
- linux-realtime
- linux-riscv
- linux-riscv-5.11
- linux-riscv-5.15 (fixed in 5.15.0-1038.42~20.04.2)
- 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 5.15.0-1025.29)
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)
git.kernel.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-2qp7-6757-fmgc (published 7 Jan 2026)
- CGA-9p62-x2f6-7rmw (published 7 Jan 2026)
CVE-2023-53481 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 | — | 5.15.0-79.86 |
| linux-allwinner-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws | — | 5.15.0-1042.47 |
| linux-aws-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1041.46~20.04.1 |
| linux-aws-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-aws-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1104.112~18.04.1 |
| linux-aws-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-aws-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-aws-fips | — | — |
| linux-aws-hwe | — | — |
| linux-azure | — | 5.15.0-1045.52 |
| linux-azure-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1045.52~20.04.1 |
| linux-azure-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-azure-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1110.116~18.04.1 |
| 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 | — | — |
| linux-bluefield | — | — |
| linux-fips | — | — |
| linux-gcp | — | 5.15.0-1039.47 |
| linux-gcp-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1039.47~20.04.1 |
| linux-gcp-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1107.116~18.04.1 |
| linux-gcp-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-gcp-fips | — | — |
| linux-gke | — | 5.15.0-1039.44 |
| linux-gke-4.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gke-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop | — | 5.15.0-1025.30 |
| linux-gkeop-5.15 | — | — |
| linux-gkeop-5.4 | — | — |
| linux-hwe | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-79.86~20.04.2 |
| linux-hwe-5.19 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-152.169~18.04.1 |
| linux-hwe-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.11 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-hwe-edge | — | — |
| linux-ibm | — | 5.15.0-1035.38 |
| linux-ibm-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1036.39~20.04.1 |
| linux-ibm-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1051.56~18.04.1 |
| linux-intel | — | — |
| linux-intel-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-intel-iot-realtime | — | 5.15.0-1036.38 |
| linux-intel-iotg | — | 5.15.0-1037.42 |
| linux-intel-iotg-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1037.42~20.04.1 |
| linux-iot | — | 5.4.0-1017.18 |
| linux-kvm | — | 5.15.0-1039.44 |
| linux-lowlatency | — | 5.15.0-79.88 |
| linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-79.88~20.04.1 |
| 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 | — | 5.15.0-1030.30 |
| linux-nvidia-6.2 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-nvidia-tegra | — | 5.15.0-1016.16 |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1016.16~20.04.1 |
| linux-nvidia-tegra-igx | — | 5.15.0-1002.2 |
| 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 | — | 5.15.0-1040.46 |
| linux-oracle-5.0 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.13 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1040.46~20.04.1 |
| linux-oracle-5.3 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1103.112~18.04.1 |
| linux-oracle-5.8 | — | — |
| linux-oracle-6.5 | — | — |
| linux-raspi | — | 5.15.0-1035.38 |
| linux-raspi-5.4 | — | 5.4.0-1088.99~18.04.1 |
| linux-raspi-realtime | — | — |
| linux-raspi2 | — | — |
| linux-realtime | — | — |
| linux-riscv | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.11 | — | — |
| linux-riscv-5.15 | — | 5.15.0-1038.42~20.04.2 |
| 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 | — | 5.15.0-1025.29 |
References
Similar Threats
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