{"id":"CVE-2023-53116","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"nvmet: avoid potential UAF in nvmet_req_complete()","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnvmet: avoid potential UAF in nvmet_req_complete()\n\nAn nvme target ->queue_response() operation implementation may free the\nrequest passed as argument. Such implementation potentially could result\nin a use after free of the request pointer when percpu_ref_put() is\ncalled in nvmet_req_complete().\n\nAvoid such problem by using a local variable to save the sq pointer\nbefore calling __nvmet_req_complete(), thus avoiding dereferencing the\nreq pointer after that function call.","publishedAt":"2025-05-02T15:55:54.858Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-15T21:41:27.153Z","severity":{"score":9.8,"label":"Critical","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"e5d99b29012bbf0e86929403209723b2806500c1","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"fafcb4b26393870c45462f9af6a48e581dbbcf7e","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"04c394208831d5e0d5cfee46722eb0f033cd4083","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"a6317235da8aa7cb97529ebc8121cc2a4c4c437a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"f1d5888a5efe345b63c430b256e95acb0a475642","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"bcd535f07c58342302a2cd2bdd8894fe0872c8a9","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ed9813871038b25a934b21ab76b5b7dbf44fc3a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"6173a77b7e9d3e202bdb9897b23f2a8afe7bf286","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/nvme/target/core.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.8","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.8","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.14.311","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.14.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.19.279","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.19.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.4.238","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.176","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.104","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.21","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.2.8","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.2.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/nvme/target/core.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5d99b29012bbf0e86929403209723b2806500c1","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fafcb4b26393870c45462f9af6a48e581dbbcf7e","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04c394208831d5e0d5cfee46722eb0f033cd4083","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6317235da8aa7cb97529ebc8121cc2a4c4c437a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1d5888a5efe345b63c430b256e95acb0a475642","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bcd535f07c58342302a2cd2bdd8894fe0872c8a9","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ed9813871038b25a934b21ab76b5b7dbf44fc3a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6173a77b7e9d3e202bdb9897b23f2a8afe7bf286"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:06:33.064Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2023/53xxx/CVE-2023-53116.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2023-53116","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2025-05-02T15:55:54.858Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-15T21:41:27.153Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2025-05-02T15:51:43.554Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"nvmet: avoid potential UAF in nvmet_req_complete()","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnvmet: avoid potential UAF in nvmet_req_complete()\n\nAn nvme target ->queue_response() operation implementation may free the\nrequest passed as argument. Such implementation potentially could result\nin a use after free of the request pointer when percpu_ref_put() is\ncalled in nvmet_req_complete().\n\nAvoid such problem by using a local variable to save the sq pointer\nbefore calling __nvmet_req_complete(), thus avoiding dereferencing the\nreq pointer after that function call."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"e5d99b29012bbf0e86929403209723b2806500c1","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"fafcb4b26393870c45462f9af6a48e581dbbcf7e","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"04c394208831d5e0d5cfee46722eb0f033cd4083","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"a6317235da8aa7cb97529ebc8121cc2a4c4c437a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"f1d5888a5efe345b63c430b256e95acb0a475642","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"bcd535f07c58342302a2cd2bdd8894fe0872c8a9","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ed9813871038b25a934b21ab76b5b7dbf44fc3a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"a07b4970f464f13640e28e16dad6cfa33647cc99","status":"affected","lessThan":"6173a77b7e9d3e202bdb9897b23f2a8afe7bf286","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/nvme/target/core.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.8","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.8","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.14.311","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.14.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.19.279","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.19.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.4.238","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.176","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.104","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.21","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.2.8","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.2.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/nvme/target/core.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5d99b29012bbf0e86929403209723b2806500c1"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fafcb4b26393870c45462f9af6a48e581dbbcf7e"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04c394208831d5e0d5cfee46722eb0f033cd4083"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6317235da8aa7cb97529ebc8121cc2a4c4c437a"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1d5888a5efe345b63c430b256e95acb0a475642"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bcd535f07c58342302a2cd2bdd8894fe0872c8a9"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ed9813871038b25a934b21ab76b5b7dbf44fc3a"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6173a77b7e9d3e202bdb9897b23f2a8afe7bf286"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":9.8,"baseSeverity":"CRITICAL"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:N - The vulnerable code is in the shared NVMe target core and is reachable via network-facing transports such as nvmet-tcp and nvmet-rdma, which accept remote NVMe-oF connections and complete requests through nvmet_req_complete().\nAC:L - An attacker who can send NVMe commands reliably drives request completion; on FC the abort path frees the request synchronously inside queue_response, and on TCP/RDMA concurrent requests create a reuse race the attacker controls.\nPR:N - The discovery subsystem allows any host without credentials, DH-CHAP auth is optional, and allow_any_host deployments accept unauthenticated connects, so a remote peer can reach nvmet_req_complete with no privileges.\nUI:N - Exploitation requires only attacker-sent NVMe-oF traffic to a configured target; no victim user action is needed.\nS:U - This is memory corruption within the host kernel's NVMe target authority and does not cross a VM, IOMMU, or other security boundary.\nC:H - Use-after-free of the request object allows reuse/spray of the freed structure, which can be leveraged for arbitrary kernel memory disclosure.\nI:H - The same UAF/reuse of the nvmet request enables attacker-controlled heap contents and corruption suitable for arbitrary write or control-flow hijacking.\nA:H - Dereferencing the freed request (e.g., req->sq for percpu_ref_put) can crash the kernel via oops/panic even when not fully exploited for code execution."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-05T09:12:52.059Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"4.14.311"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"4.19.279"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"5.4.238"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.176"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.104"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.21"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"6.2.8"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.8","versionEndExcluding":"6.3"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2023-53116","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"yes"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T21:34:05.995593Z"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-10-15T21:41:27.153Z"}}]}}}