CVE-2023-53421: blk-cgroup: Reinit blkg_iostat_set after clearing in blkcg_reset_stats()

Published Sep 18, 2025
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

blk-cgroup: Reinit blkgiostatset after clearing in blkcgresetstats()

When blkgalloc() is called to allocate a blkcggq structure with the associated blkgiostatset's, there are 2 fields within blkgiostatset that requires proper initialization - blkg & sync. The former field was introduced by commit 3b8cc6298724 ("blk-cgroup: Optimize blkcgrstatflush()") while the later one was introduced by commit f73316482977 ("blk-cgroup: reimplement basic IO stats using cgroup rstat").

Unfortunately those fields in the blkgiostatset's are not properly re-initialized when they are cleared in v1's blkcgresetstats(). This can lead to a kernel panic due to NULL pointer access of the blkg pointer. The missing initialization of sync is less problematic and can be a problem in a debug kernel due to missing lockdep initialization.

Fix these problems by re-initializing them after memory clearing.

Affected Software

4 affected components
Linux Linux kernel
Microsoft cbl2 kernel 5.15.186.1-1
Linux Linux kernel>=5.5<6.3.13
Linux Linux kernel>=6.4<6.4.4

Event History

Sep 18, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:04 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:04 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Dec 12, 2025
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·01:02 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2023-53421?

The severity of CVE-2023-53421 has been classified as high due to its impact on the Linux kernel.

2

How do I fix CVE-2023-53421?

To fix CVE-2023-53421, update the Linux kernel to the latest patched version.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2023-53421?

CVE-2023-53421 affects the Linux kernel across various distributions.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-53421?

CVE-2023-53421 is a kernel security vulnerability related to block I/O accounting.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2023-53421?

Currently, there are no known effective workarounds for CVE-2023-53421, making an update essential.

Contact

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