CVE-2023-53481

MEDIUM
Published Oct 1, 2025 Modified Jan 20, 2026 CWE-835

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ubi: ubi_wl_put_peb: Fix infinite loop when wear-leveling work failed Following process will trigger an infinite loop in ubi_wl_put_peb(): ubifs_bgt ubi_bgt ubifs_leb_unmap ubi_leb_unmap ubi_eba_unmap_leb ubi_wl_put_peb wear_leveling_worker e1 = rb_entry(rb_first(&ubi->used) e2 = get_peb_for_wl(ubi) ubi_io_read_vid_hdr // return err (flash fault) out_error: ubi->move_from = ubi->move_to = NULL wl_entry_destroy(ubi, e1) ubi->lookuptbl[e->pnum] = NULL retry: e = ubi->lookuptbl[pnum]; // return NULL if (e == ubi->move_from) { // NULL == NULL gets true goto retry; // infinite loop !!! $ top PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM COMMAND 7676 root 20 0 0 0 0 R 100.0 0.0 ubifs_bgt0_0 Fix it by: 1) Letting ubi_wl_put_peb() returns directly if wearl leveling entry has been removed from 'ubi->lookuptbl'. 2) Using 'ubi->wl_lock' protecting wl entry deletion to preventing an use-after-free problem for wl entry in ubi_wl_put_peb(). Fetch a reproducer in [Link].

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-835 CWE-835

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-53481? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ubi: ubi_wl_put_peb: Fix infinite loop when wear-leveling work failed Following process will trigger an infinite loop in ubi_wl_put_peb(): ubifs_bgt ubi_bgt ubifs_leb_unmap ubi_leb_unmap ubi_eba_unmap_leb ubi_wl_put_peb wear_leveling_worker e1 = rb_entry(rb_first(&ubi->used) e2 = get_peb_for_wl(ubi) ubi_io_read_vid_hdr // return err (flash fault) out_error: ubi->move_from = ubi->move_to = NULL wl_entry_destroy(ubi, e1) ubi->lookuptbl[e->pnum] = NULL retry: e = ubi->lookuptbl[pnum]; // return NULL if (e == ubi->move_from) { // NULL == NULL gets true goto retry; // infinite loop !!! $ top PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM COMMAND 7676 root 20 0 0 0 0 R 100.0 0.0 ubifs_bgt0_0 Fix it by: 1) Letting ubi_wl_put_peb() returns directly if wearl leveling entry has been removed from 'ubi->lookuptbl'. 2) Using 'ubi->wl_lock' protecting wl entry deletion to preventing an use-after-free problem for wl entry in ubi_wl_put_peb(). Fetch a reproducer in [Link]. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2023-53481? +
CVE-2023-53481 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53481? +
CVE-2023-53481 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-53481? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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