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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53709: ring-buffer: Handle race between rb_move_tail and rb_check_pages

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ring-buffer: Handle race between rb_move_tail and rb_check_pages It seems a data race between ring_buffer writing and integrity check. That is, RB_FLAG of head_page is been updating, while at same time RB_FLAG was cleared when doing integrity check rb_check_pages(): rb_check_pages() rb_handle_head_page(): -------- -------- rb_head_page_deactivate() rb_head_page_set_normal() rb_head_page_activate() We do intergrity test of the list to check if the list is corrupted and it is still worth doing it. So, let's refactor rb_check_pages() such that we no longer clear and set flag during the list sanity checking. [1] and [2] are the test to reproduce and the crash report respectively. 1: ``` read_trace.sh while true; do # the "trace" file is closed after read head -1 /sys/kernel/tracing/trace > /dev/null done ``` ``` repro.sh sysctl -w kernel.panic_on_warn=1 # function tracer will writing enough data into ring_buffer echo function > /sys/kernel/tracing/current_tracer ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ./read_trace.sh & ``` 2: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 9 PID: 62 at kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c:2653 rb_move_tail+0x450/0x470 Modules linked in: CPU: 9 PID: 62 Comm: ksoftirqd/9 Tainted: G W 6.2.0-rc6+ Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.15.0-0-g2dd4b9b3f840-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:rb_move_tail+0x450/0x470 Code: ff ff 4c 89 c8 f0 4d 0f b1 02 48 89 c2 48 83 e2 fc 49 39 d0 75 24 83 e0 03 83 f8 02 0f 84 e1 fb ff ff 48 8b 57 10 f0 ff 42 08 <0f> 0b 83 f8 02 0f 84 ce fb ff ff e9 db RSP: 0018:ffffb5564089bd00 EFLAGS: 00000203 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff9db385a2bf81 RCX: ffffb5564089bd18 RDX: ffff9db281110100 RSI: 0000000000000fe4 RDI: ffff9db380145400 RBP: ffff9db385a2bf80 R08: ffff9db385a2bfc0 R09: ffff9db385a2bfc2 R10: ffff9db385a6c000 R11: ffff9db385a2bf80 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 00000000000003e8 R14: ffff9db281110100 R15: ffffffffbb006108 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9db3bdcc0000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00005602323024c8 CR3: 0000000022e0c000 CR4: 00000000000006e0 Call Trace: <TASK> ring_buffer_lock_reserve+0x136/0x360 ? __do_softirq+0x287/0x2df ? __pfx_rcu_softirq_qs+0x10/0x10 trace_function+0x21/0x110 ? __pfx_rcu_softirq_qs+0x10/0x10 ? __do_softirq+0x287/0x2df function_trace_call+0xf6/0x120 0xffffffffc038f097 ? rcu_softirq_qs+0x5/0x140 rcu_softirq_qs+0x5/0x140 __do_softirq+0x287/0x2df run_ksoftirqd+0x2a/0x30 smpboot_thread_fn+0x188/0x220 ? __pfx_smpboot_thread_fn+0x10/0x10 kthread+0xe7/0x110 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork+0x2c/0x50 </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- [ crash report and test reproducer credit goes to Zheng Yejian]

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53709 is a Linux kernel tracing bug where concurrent ring-buffer activity can trigger a warning and potential crash condition. The public record does not show active exploitation, a CVSS score, or a complete severity assessment. Treat it as an operational stability risk for systems where kernel tracing can be used.

Executive priority

Prioritize routine kernel patching, with higher urgency for shared, high-availability, or tracing-enabled systems. Current evidence supports stability and denial-of-service concern, not confirmed remote compromise or active exploitation.

Technical view

The issue is a data race between ring-buffer writes and rb_check_pages integrity checking. RB_FLAG on head_page could be changed while the checker cleared and restored flags, leading to rb_move_tail warning behavior. Stable kernel commits refactor rb_check_pages to avoid flag mutation during list sanity checking.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernels with tracing facilities available or enabled. The source lists Linux kernel versions and stable fixes, but affected range details are not fully normalized in the bundle.

Exploitation context

The bundle includes a test reproducer and crash report using kernel tracing activity. There is no KEV listing and no cited evidence of active exploitation. The documented outcome is a kernel warning and crash-style behavior, especially when panic_on_warn is configured.

Researcher notes

The source evidence centers on kernel trace ring-buffer concurrency. No CWE, CVSS, exploit-in-the-wild, or vendor-specific package mapping is provided. Validate through kernel commit lineage and distribution backport status rather than raw upstream version strings alone.

Mitigation direction

  • Check vendor kernel advisories for your distribution and release stream.
  • Upgrade to a kernel containing the referenced stable ring-buffer fixes.
  • Review whether kernel tracing access is restricted to trusted administrators.
  • Avoid enabling panic_on_warn on production systems without operational justification.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across production, staging, and appliances.
  • Compare deployed kernels against distribution advisories and the referenced stable commits.
  • Confirm tracing filesystem access is limited to trusted privileged users.
  • Review logs for rb_move_tail warnings or tracing-related kernel warnings.
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-2023-53709 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
LinuxLinux1039221cc2787dee51a7ffbf9b0e79d192dadf76, 1039221cc2787dee51a7ffbf9b0e79d192dadf76, 1039221cc2787dee51a7ffbf9b0e79d192dadf76, 1039221cc2787dee51a7ffbf9b0e79d192dadf76, 1039221cc2787dee51a7ffbf9b0e79d192dadf76unaffected
LinuxLinux5.7, 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.