CVE-2023-53339: btrfs: fix BUG_ON condition in btrfs_cancel_balance
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
btrfs: fix BUG_ON condition in btrfs_cancel_balance
Pausing and canceling balance can race to interrupt balance lead to BUG_ON
panic in btrfs_cancel_balance. The BUG_ON condition in btrfs_cancel_balance
does not take this race scenario into account.
However, the race condition has no other side effects. We can fix that.
Reproducing it with panic trace like this:
kernel BUG at fs/btrfs/volumes.c:4618!
RIP: 0010:btrfs_cancel_balance+0x5cf/0x6a0
Call Trace:
<TASK>
? do_nanosleep+0x60/0x120
? hrtimer_nanosleep+0xb7/0x1a0
? sched_core_clone_cookie+0x70/0x70
btrfs_ioctl_balance_ctl+0x55/0x70
btrfs_ioctl+0xa46/0xd20
__x64_sys_ioctl+0x7d/0xa0
do_syscall_64+0x38/0x80
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
Race scenario as follows:
> mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
> --------------------
> .......issue pause and cancel req in another thread
> --------------------
> ret = __btrfs_balance(fs_info);
>
> mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
> if (ret == -ECANCELED && atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_pause_req)) {
> btrfs_info(fs_info, "balance: paused");
> btrfs_exclop_balance(fs_info, BTRFS_EXCLOP_BALANCE_PAUSED);
> }
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Linux kernel Btrfs bug where two balance-management actions can race and trigger a kernel BUG, causing a panic. The provided source says the race has no other side effects. Business impact is primarily availability risk on systems using Btrfs, not data theft or remote compromise based on current evidence.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted availability risk. Patch Btrfs systems in normal kernel maintenance windows, faster for storage-heavy or high-availability services where a kernel panic would cause business disruption.
Technical view
The flaw is in btrfs_cancel_balance. A pause and cancel race during Btrfs balance handling can leave the BUG_ON condition evaluating incorrectly, producing a panic in the ioctl balance-control path. The kernel description says the race has no other side effects and references stable commits resolving the condition.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to Linux systems using Btrfs where balance operations can be paused or cancelled. The bundle does not provide a complete vulnerable release range, and listed version/hash data is insufficient to determine exposure without checking kernel vendor backports.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV is false in the provided bundle, and no cited source reports active exploitation. The available evidence supports a local availability failure scenario involving Btrfs balance control, not remote code execution, privilege escalation, or data exposure.
Researcher notes
The source bundle lacks CVSS, CWE, detailed affected ranges, and exploitation evidence. Analysis should stay constrained to the described race in Btrfs balance cancellation and the referenced stable commits. Do not infer broader kernel compromise from this record.
Mitigation direction
Check your Linux vendor advisory for this CVE and kernel backports.
Prioritize updates for critical systems using Btrfs balance operations.
Review whether referenced stable commits are present in deployed kernels.
Avoid unnecessary Btrfs balance pause/cancel activity until patched.
Monitor affected hosts for kernel panic or unexpected reboot events.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux hosts using Btrfs filesystems.
Record kernel versions and vendor patch levels for those hosts.
Confirm whether the stable fix commits are included or backported.
Review logs for Btrfs balance messages and kernel BUG panics.
Validate remediation through vendor-supported kernel package status.
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-2023-53339 mapping review
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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
4Source links
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
Sep 17, 2025, 14:56 UTC (UTC+00:00)
CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.