CVE-2023-53419: rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.15% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2, 3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec, a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2, 3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec, a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access For kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU=y, the following scenario can result in a NULL-pointer dereference: CPU1 CPU2 rcu_preempt_deferred_qs_irqrestore rcu_print_task_exp_stall if (special.b.blocked) READ_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks) != NULL raw_spin_lock_rcu_node np = rcu_next_node_entry(t, rnp) if (&t->rcu_node_entry == rnp->exp_tasks) WRITE_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks, np) .... raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore_rcu_node raw_spin_lock_irqsave_rcu_node t = list_entry(rnp->exp_tasks->prev, struct task_struct, rcu_node_entry) (if rnp->exp_tasks is NULL, this will dereference a NULL pointer) The problem is that CPU2 accesses the rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks field without holding the rcu_node structure's ->lock and CPU2 did not observe CPU1's change to rcu_node structure's ->exp_tasks in time. Therefore, if CPU1 sets rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks pointer to NULL, then CPU2 might dereference that NULL pointer. This commit therefore holds the rcu_node structure's ->lock while accessing that structure's->exp_tasks field. [ paulmck: Apply Frederic Weisbecker feedback. ]
- Published
- Sep 18, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.1% · 5th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-476
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux kernel | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- linux linux kernelbefore 5.10.181
- linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.113
- linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.30
- linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.3.4
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Linux Linux
- 5.8affected
- 314eeb43e5f22856b281c91c966e51e5782a3498 and later · before a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600faffected · git
- 314eeb43e5f22856b281c91c966e51e5782a3498 and later · before e30a55e98ae6c44253d8b129efefd5da5bc6e3bcaffected · git
- 314eeb43e5f22856b281c91c966e51e5782a3498 and later · before d0a8c0e31a09ec1efd53079083e2a677956b4d91affected · git
- 314eeb43e5f22856b281c91c966e51e5782a3498 and later · before 2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2affected · git
- 314eeb43e5f22856b281c91c966e51e5782a3498 and later · before 3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ecaffected · git
- before 5.8not affected · semver
- 5.10.181 and later · up to and including 5.10.*not affected · semver
- 5.15.113 and later · up to and including 5.15.*not affected · semver
- 6.1.30 and later · up to and including 6.1.*not affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | before 6.1.37-1 | 6.1.37-1 |
| Debian:13 | linux | before 6.3.7-1 | 6.3.7-1 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV90Now
- CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV89Now
- CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV85Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-50418Sep 18, 2025 · wifi: ath11k: mhi: fix potential memory leak in ath11k_mhi_register()22Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-50419Sep 18, 2025 · Bluetooth: hci_sysfs: Fix attempting to call device_add multiple times31Monitor
- Later →CVE-2023-53420Sep 18, 2025 · ntfs: Fix panic about slab-out-of-bounds caused by ntfs_listxattr()28Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | 2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | d0a8c0e31a09ec1efd53079083e2a677956b4d91 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | e30a55e98ae6c44253d8b129efefd5da5bc6e3bc | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:linux | 6.1.37-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-476 · NULL Pointer DereferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (4 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.