Linux Kernel up to 6.1.16/6.2.3/6.4.11 blkg_free_workfn privilege escalation

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.16/6.2.3/6.4.11. The affected element is the function blkg_free_workfn. The manipulation results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2023-54088. There is no exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.16/6.2.3/6.4.11. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-cgroup: hold queue_lock when removing blkg->q_node When blkg is removed from q->blkg_list from blkg_free_workfn(), queue_lock has to be held, otherwise, all kinds of bugs(list corruption, hard lockup, ..) can be triggered from blkg_destroy_all().

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2023-54088 since 12/24/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 01/02/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279744 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-54088), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.17, 6.2.4 or 6.4.12 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch b5dae1cd0d8368b4338430ff93403df67f0b8bcc/083b58373463a6e5ee60ecb135269348f68ad7df/cd4ffdf56791eec95af01f06bee1ec7665ca75c4/c164c7bc9775be7bcc68754bb3431fce5823822e is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (279744) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2929). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.2.0
• 6.2.1
• 6.2.2
• 6.2.3
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3
• 6.4.4
• 6.4.5
• 6.4.6
• 6.4.7
• 6.4.8
• 6.4.9
• 6.4.10
• 6.4.11

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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