CVE-2023-53671
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-10-07

Last updated on: 2026-02-26

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: srcu: Delegate work to the boot cpu if using SRCU_SIZE_SMALL Commit 994f706872e6 ("srcu: Make Tree SRCU able to operate without snp_node array") assumes that cpu 0 is always online. However, there really are situations when some other CPU is the boot CPU, for example, when booting a kdump kernel with the maxcpus=1 boot parameter. On PowerPC, the kdump kernel can hang as follows: ... [ 1.740036] systemd[1]: Hostname set to <xyz.com> [ 243.686240] INFO: task systemd:1 blocked for more than 122 seconds. [ 243.686264] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc1 #1 [ 243.686272] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. [ 243.686281] task:systemd state:D stack:0 pid:1 ppid:0 flags:0x00042000 [ 243.686296] Call Trace: [ 243.686301] [c000000016657640] [c000000016657670] 0xc000000016657670 (unreliable) [ 243.686317] [c000000016657830] [c00000001001dec0] __switch_to+0x130/0x220 [ 243.686333] [c000000016657890] [c000000010f607b8] __schedule+0x1f8/0x580 [ 243.686347] [c000000016657940] [c000000010f60bb4] schedule+0x74/0x140 [ 243.686361] [c0000000166579b0] [c000000010f699b8] schedule_timeout+0x168/0x1c0 [ 243.686374] [c000000016657a80] [c000000010f61de8] __wait_for_common+0x148/0x360 [ 243.686387] [c000000016657b20] [c000000010176bb0] __flush_work.isra.0+0x1c0/0x3d0 [ 243.686401] [c000000016657bb0] [c0000000105f2768] fsnotify_wait_marks_destroyed+0x28/0x40 [ 243.686415] [c000000016657bd0] [c0000000105f21b8] fsnotify_destroy_group+0x68/0x160 [ 243.686428] [c000000016657c40] [c0000000105f6500] inotify_release+0x30/0xa0 [ 243.686440] [c000000016657cb0] [c0000000105751a8] __fput+0xc8/0x350 [ 243.686452] [c000000016657d00] [c00000001017d524] task_work_run+0xe4/0x170 [ 243.686464] [c000000016657d50] [c000000010020e94] do_notify_resume+0x134/0x140 [ 243.686478] [c000000016657d80] [c00000001002eb18] interrupt_exit_user_prepare_main+0x198/0x270 [ 243.686493] [c000000016657de0] [c00000001002ec60] syscall_exit_prepare+0x70/0x180 [ 243.686505] [c000000016657e10] [c00000001000bf7c] system_call_vectored_common+0xfc/0x280 [ 243.686520] --- interrupt: 3000 at 0x7fffa47d5ba4 [ 243.686528] NIP: 00007fffa47d5ba4 LR: 0000000000000000 CTR: 0000000000000000 [ 243.686538] REGS: c000000016657e80 TRAP: 3000 Not tainted (6.1.0-rc1) [ 243.686548] MSR: 800000000000d033 <SF,EE,PR,ME,IR,DR,RI,LE> CR: 42044440 XER: 00000000 [ 243.686572] IRQMASK: 0 [ 243.686572] GPR00: 0000000000000006 00007ffffa606710 00007fffa48e7200 0000000000000000 [ 243.686572] GPR04: 0000000000000002 000000000000000a 0000000000000000 0000000000000001 [ 243.686572] GPR08: 000001000c172dd0 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 [ 243.686572] GPR12: 0000000000000000 00007fffa4ff4bc0 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 [ 243.686572] GPR16: 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 [ 243.686572] GPR20: 0000000132dfdc50 000000000000000e 0000000000189375 0000000000000000 [ 243.686572] GPR24: 00007ffffa606ae0 0000000000000005 000001000c185490 000001000c172570 [ 243.686572] GPR28: 000001000c172990 000001000c184850 000001000c172e00 00007fffa4fedd98 [ 243.686683] NIP [00007fffa47d5ba4] 0x7fffa47d5ba4 [ 243.686691] LR [0000000000000000] 0x0 [ 243.686698] --- interrupt: 3000 [ 243.686708] INFO: task kworker/u16:1:24 blocked for more than 122 seconds. [ 243.686717] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc1 #1 [ 243.686724] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. [ 243.686733] task:kworker/u16:1 state:D stack:0 pid:24 ppid:2 flags:0x00000800 [ 243.686747] Workqueue: events_unbound fsnotify_mark_destroy_workfn [ 243.686758] Call Trace: [ 243.686762] [c0000000166736e0] [c00000004fd91000] 0xc00000004fd91000 (unreliable) [ 243.686775] [c0000000166738d0] [c00000001001dec0] __switch_to+0x130/0x220 [ 243.686788] [c000000016673930] [c000000010f607b8] __schedule+0x1f8/0x ---truncated---
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Meta Information
Published
2025-10-07
Last Modified
2026-02-26
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-10-07
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2023-53671
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel From 6.2 (inc) to 6.2.3 (inc)
linux linux_kernel 6.1.0-rc1
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves an assumption in the srcu subsystem that CPU 0 is always the boot CPU. However, in some cases, such as when booting a kdump kernel with the maxcpus=1 parameter, a different CPU may be the boot CPU. This incorrect assumption can cause the system to hang, particularly on PowerPC architectures, due to work being delegated incorrectly to CPU 0 when it may not be online.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

The vulnerability can cause the system to hang or become unresponsive, especially on PowerPC systems running a kdump kernel with specific boot parameters. This can lead to system instability and potential downtime, affecting availability and reliability of the affected systems.


How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

This vulnerability can be detected by observing system logs for symptoms such as the system hanging or tasks being blocked for extended periods, especially on PowerPC architectures. Look for kernel messages indicating tasks blocked for more than 122 seconds, hung task warnings, or call traces related to systemd or kworker processes. Commands to check include: 'dmesg | grep -i hung_task', 'journalctl -k | grep -i blocked', and monitoring for system hangs or kernel panic messages.


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

Immediate mitigation involves updating the Linux kernel to a version where this vulnerability is resolved, as the issue stems from incorrect assumptions about the boot CPU in the srcu code. Until an update is applied, a temporary workaround might include disabling hung task warnings by running 'echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs' to prevent system hangs from causing blocking, but this does not fix the root cause. The recommended step is to apply the patch or upgrade the kernel to a fixed version.


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