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UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854 High

UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854

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`.

Exploit probability Not scored
Published May 21, 2024
Required by Not available
Last source change August 19, 2026

02 / AFFECTED SOFTWARE

Affected packages

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.5

11 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws

144 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:18.04:LTS linux-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.6

29 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.4

102 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency

43 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-iot

44 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-azure

108 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15

25 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm

37 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oem

50 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0

6 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.5

19 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi2

6 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux

46 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gkeop

32 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:20.04:LTS linux-fips

82 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure

43 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15

32 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.5

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gke

39 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-5.19

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-raspi

40 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.5

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:18.04:LTS linux-azure-fips

85 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.14

35 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke-5.15

18 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-oracle

118 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde

26 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.4

112 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-kvm

121 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge

23 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-gcp

115 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi-realtime

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.8

21 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8

9 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.13

16 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:20.04:LTS linux-aws-fips

66 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.2

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-oracle

111 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.15

30 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.11

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.5

14 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:Realtime:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime

19 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:20.04:LTS linux-aws-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-5.13

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.4

97 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.13

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-raspi

98 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.11

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws

120 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx

8 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4

37 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.5

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.10

26 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.13

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-raspi-5.4

93 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws

42 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:22.04:LTS linux-aws-fips

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15

33 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv

23 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux

188 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Nvidia-BlueField:24.04:LTS linux-bluefield

11 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.11

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.2

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-gcp

138 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.15

32 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia

24 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-kvm

132 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle

40 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial

165 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux

154 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-5.17

26 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-preview:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.2

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws

139 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.4

70 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.0

16 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-kvm

43 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.15

33 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe

116 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.19

3 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux

123 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-4.15

93 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-preview:22.04:LTS linux-aws-fips

2 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke

51 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-4.15

92 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg

30 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.1

27 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Nvidia-BlueField:22.04:LTS linux-bluefield

16 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-oracle

112 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:20.04:LTS linux-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:18.04:LTS linux-fips

98 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.19

8 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:22.04:LTS linux-fips

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.8

5 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.19

8 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.2

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.4

101 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fips

64 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-5.19

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-azure

140 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:18.04:LTS linux-aws-fips

94 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.15

35 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.8

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15

11 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.13

12 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.4

100 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-bluefield

73 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp

47 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure

44 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3

16 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.2

3 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.11

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde

26 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15

29 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4

37 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.5

14 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp

38 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe

167 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.15

33 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3

9 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.15

33 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.19

11 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp

40 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-fde

8 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.2

7 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.15

14 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:16.04:LTS linux-fips

97 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure

121 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.8

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-preview:22.04:LTS linux-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-preview:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-fips

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:Realtime:22.04:LTS linux-realtime

38 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.5

13 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe

43 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-fips

68 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-kvm

110 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-5.19

10 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-allwinner-5.19

8 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-ibm

80 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.2

14 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge

4 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop

78 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.5

3 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-realtime

1 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-fips

69 explicit affected versions

Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-aws

114 explicit affected versions

03 / CONNECTIONS

Connected vulnerabilities

04 / EVIDENCE

Source records

Open Source Vulnerabilities UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52854

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`.

View original source

05 / REFERENCES

Further evidence