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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53078: scsi: scsi_dh_alua: Fix memleak for 'qdata' in alua_activate()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: scsi_dh_alua: Fix memleak for 'qdata' in alua_activate() If alua_rtpg_queue() failed from alua_activate(), then 'qdata' is not freed, which will cause following memleak: unreferenced object 0xffff88810b2c6980 (size 32): comm "kworker/u16:2", pid 635322, jiffies 4355801099 (age 1216426.076s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 40 39 24 c1 ff ff ff ff 00 f8 ea 0a 81 88 ff ff @9$............. backtrace: [<0000000098f3a26d>] alua_activate+0xb0/0x320 [<000000003b529641>] scsi_dh_activate+0xb2/0x140 [<000000007b296db3>] activate_path_work+0xc6/0xe0 [dm_multipath] [<000000007adc9ace>] process_one_work+0x3c5/0x730 [<00000000c457a985>] worker_thread+0x93/0x650 [<00000000cb80e628>] kthread+0x1ba/0x210 [<00000000a1e61077>] ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 Fix the problem by freeing 'qdata' in error path.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53078 is a Linux kernel memory leak in the SCSI ALUA path handling code. If a specific activation error occurs, a small allocation is not freed. The practical risk is potential memory pressure over time on affected systems, especially storage hosts using ALUA multipath behavior.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel patch governance, with higher priority for storage infrastructure and virtualization hosts dependent on multipath SCSI. There is no supplied evidence of active exploitation, but unpatched kernel memory leaks can affect availability over time.

Technical view

The issue is in scsi_dh_alua alua_activate(). When alua_rtpg_queue() fails, qdata is not freed on the error path. The upstream fix frees qdata in that path. CVE metadata lists Linux as affected and points to stable kernel commits resolving the leak.

Likely exposure

Most relevant to Linux systems using SCSI device handlers, ALUA-capable storage, or dm-multipath. General Linux hosts without this storage path may have limited practical exposure, but kernel package status should still be checked through distribution advisories.

Exploitation context

The supplied sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. The documented condition is an error path during ALUA activation, not a remote code execution scenario. Exploitability details are not provided in the source bundle.

Researcher notes

The record lacks CVSS, CWE, and detailed triggerability information. Analysis should focus on affected kernel lineage, whether ALUA/dm-multipath is enabled, and whether vendor kernels backported the qdata free on alua_activate() failure.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a Linux kernel containing the referenced upstream stable fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes in vendor kernel packages.
  • Prioritize storage servers using ALUA, SCSI multipath, or dm-multipath.
  • Monitor affected systems for abnormal kernel memory growth until patched.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux systems using SCSI ALUA or dm-multipath storage paths.
  • Compare installed kernel packages against distribution guidance for CVE-2023-53078.
  • Confirm the relevant stable fix is present in source or vendor changelogs.
  • Review kernel diagnostics for memory leak reports referencing alua_activate or qdata.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2023-53078 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
9Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 625fe857e4fac6518716f3c0ff5e5deb8ec6d238, 68b275b7cbf065a8ea9b964cbb7d78d2b63c635f, 2b1725d1df362499f6bbd5a7e245a4090b29c2bbunaffected
LinuxLinux4.11, 0, 4.14.312, 4.19.280, 5.4.240, 5.10.177, 5.15.105, 6.1.22, 6.2.9, 6.3affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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