CVE-2023-54297 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 12/30/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
btrfs: zoned: fix memory leak after finding block group with super blocks
At exclude_super_stripes(), if we happen to find a block group that has super blocks mapped to it and we are on a zoned filesystem, we error out as this is not supposed to happen, indicating either a bug or maybe some memory corruption for example. However we are exiting the function without freeing the memory allocated for the logical address of the super blocks. Fix this by freeing the logical address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2023-54297 represents a memory leak in the Linux kernel's btrfs filesystem implementation specifically within the zoned storage handling code. This issue occurs during the exclusion of super stripes in the btrfs filesystem when processing block groups that contain super blocks on zoned filesystems. The problem manifests when the exclude_super_stripes() function encounters a scenario where a block group has super blocks mapped to it, which should not occur under normal circumstances. This condition typically indicates either a kernel bug or potential memory corruption, making it a critical security concern that could lead to resource exhaustion over time.
The technical flaw resides in the function's error handling mechanism where the code path fails to properly clean up allocated memory resources when an error condition is detected. Specifically, when the function determines that a block group contains super blocks inappropriately mapped to it on a zoned filesystem, it exits the function without releasing the memory that was allocated for storing the logical addresses of these super blocks. This memory leak occurs because the function properly identifies the error condition and returns an error code but fails to execute the cleanup routine that would normally free the allocated memory structures. The vulnerability is classified as a memory leak under CWE-401 and represents a failure in proper resource management within the kernel's filesystem subsystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory consumption issues, as it can lead to progressive system resource depletion and potential denial of service conditions. On systems running btrfs filesystems with zoned storage capabilities, particularly those handling high volumes of I/O operations, the memory leak can accumulate over time and eventually exhaust available memory resources. This could result in system instability, application crashes, or complete system hangs, especially in environments where btrfs is heavily utilized for storage operations. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize zoned block devices such as those found in enterprise storage arrays, NVMe over Fabrics deployments, and other modern storage configurations that require proper zoned storage handling.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-54297 should prioritize applying the kernel patch that implements proper memory cleanup in the exclude_super_stripes() function. System administrators should ensure that all production systems running affected kernel versions are updated with the latest security patches from their respective distributions. Additionally, monitoring for memory usage patterns on systems utilizing btrfs with zoned storage can help detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability before it leads to system instability. The fix directly addresses the memory management issue by ensuring that allocated memory for super block logical addresses is properly freed regardless of the error condition encountered. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper resource cleanup in kernel code and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for resource exhaustion attacks that could be leveraged by adversaries to cause system instability through memory leaks. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain comprehensive monitoring of filesystem operations to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.