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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53494: crypto: xts - Handle EBUSY correctly

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: xts - Handle EBUSY correctly As it is xts only handles the special return value of EINPROGRESS, which means that in all other cases it will free data related to the request. However, as the caller of xts may specify MAY_BACKLOG, we also need to expect EBUSY and treat it in the same way. Otherwise backlogged requests will trigger a use-after-free.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel crypto bug in XTS handling. Backlogged crypto requests could be treated incorrectly, causing related request data to be freed too early. The stated impact is a use-after-free. The sources do not provide CVSS, real-world exploitation evidence, or a product-specific impact statement.

Executive priority

Treat this as a kernel maintenance item until vendor severity is clearer. It deserves tracking and patch planning, especially on systems using storage or crypto paths, but the provided sources do not justify emergency response claims.

Technical view

The XTS crypto path handled EINPROGRESS specially but not EBUSY. Because callers may allow MAY_BACKLOG, EBUSY must be handled like an in-progress request. Without that handling, backlogged requests can trigger a use-after-free in kernel crypto request state.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux kernels in the versions identified by the CVE record, including 5.4, 5.10.173, 5.15.99, 6.1.16, 6.2.3, and 6.3 data. Confirm exact distribution kernel mappings against vendor advisories.

Exploitation context

The bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. It describes a kernel use-after-free condition but does not establish attacker prerequisites, reachability, privilege requirements, or practical exploitability.

Researcher notes

The key evidence is the upstream fix rationale: EBUSY from MAY_BACKLOG must preserve request state like EINPROGRESS. Missing metadata includes CVSS, CWE, attacker model, crash details, and exploitability analysis. Validate exposure through kernel version and backport lineage, not version strings alone.

Mitigation direction

  • Check Linux distribution advisories for CVE-2023-53494 kernel updates.
  • Prioritize systems using kernel crypto XTS functionality.
  • Update affected kernels to vendor-supported fixed builds when available.
  • Track the referenced upstream stable commits for backport status.
  • Avoid inventing compensating controls without vendor guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, appliances, and containers hosts.
  • Map distribution package versions to the CVE record and vendor advisories.
  • Confirm whether XTS crypto functionality is used in relevant workloads.
  • Verify patched kernels include one of the referenced stable fixes.
  • Document any systems awaiting vendor fixes or maintenance windows.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
7

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

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2023-53494 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
6Source 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
LinuxLinux8083b1bf8163e7ae7d8c90f221106d96450b8aa8, 8083b1bf8163e7ae7d8c90f221106d96450b8aa8, 8083b1bf8163e7ae7d8c90f221106d96450b8aa8, 8083b1bf8163e7ae7d8c90f221106d96450b8aa8, 8083b1bf8163e7ae7d8c90f221106d96450b8aa8unaffected
LinuxLinux5.4, 0, 5.10.173, 5.15.99, 6.1.16, 6.2.3, 6.3affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.