CVE-2023-54201
Reference Count Underflow in Linux Kernel RDMA EFA Component
Publication date: 2025-12-30
Last updated on: 2025-12-30
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | * |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-UNKNOWN |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability occurs in the Linux kernel's RDMA/efa component where the order of resource deallocation is incorrect. When destroying a Queue Pair (QP) or Completion Queue (CQ), the system first decreases the reference count and potentially frees memory regions before requesting the device to destroy the object. If the device fails to destroy the object, the object remains partially intact, allowing repeated destruction attempts that cause the reference count to underflow (go below zero). The fix involves deallocating resources in the reverse order of allocation to safely free them.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can lead to a reference count underflow, which may cause memory corruption or instability in the system. Such issues could potentially be exploited to cause crashes or unexpected behavior in the kernel, affecting system reliability and security.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Update the Linux kernel to a version where the RDMA/efa resource deallocation order issue is fixed. This will ensure that resources are deallocated safely and prevent refcount underflow errors when destroying QP or CQ objects.