Linux Kernel up to 5.15.120/6.1.39/6.4.3 ovl ovl_get_acl_rcu null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.120/6.1.39/6.4.3. This impacts the function ovl_get_acl_rcu of the component ovl. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2023-54313. There is no exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.120/6.1.39/6.4.3 and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is the function ovl_get_acl_rcu of the component ovl. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: fix null pointer dereference in ovl_get_acl_rcu() Following process: P1 P2 path_openat link_path_walk may_lookup inode_permission(rcu) ovl_permission acl_permission_check check_acl get_cached_acl_rcu ovl_get_inode_acl realinode = ovl_inode_real(ovl_inode) drop_cache __dentry_kill(ovl_dentry) iput(ovl_inode) ovl_destroy_inode(ovl_inode) dput(oi->__upperdentry) dentry_kill(upperdentry) dentry_unlink_inode upperdentry->d_inode = NULL ovl_inode_upper upperdentry = ovl_i_dentry_upper(ovl_inode) d_inode(upperdentry) // returns NULL IS_POSIXACL(realinode) // NULL pointer dereference , will trigger an null pointer dereference at realinode: [ 205.472797] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000028 [ 205.476701] CPU: 2 PID: 2713 Comm: ls Not tainted 6.3.0-12064-g2edfa098e750-dirty #1216 [ 205.478754] RIP: 0010:do_ovl_get_acl+0x5d/0x300 [ 205.489584] Call Trace: [ 205.489812] <TASK> [ 205.490014] ovl_get_inode_acl+0x26/0x30 [ 205.490466] get_cached_acl_rcu+0x61/0xa0 [ 205.490908] generic_permission+0x1bf/0x4e0 [ 205.491447] ovl_permission+0x79/0x1b0 [ 205.491917] inode_permission+0x15e/0x2c0 [ 205.492425] link_path_walk+0x115/0x550 [ 205.493311] path_lookupat.isra.0+0xb2/0x200 [ 205.493803] filename_lookup+0xda/0x240 [ 205.495747] vfs_fstatat+0x7b/0xb0 Fetch a reproducer in [Link]. Use the helper ovl_i_path_realinode() to get realinode and then do non-nullptr checking.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-54313 since 12/30/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 281484 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-54313), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.121, 6.1.40 or 6.4.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d97481c7b2739a704848bb3c01f224dc71bdf78e/c4a5fb1ae5d3f02d3227afde2b9339994389463d/d536af163c53ce9f9bcfe87d2e9946f06f1a7ea4/f4e19e595cc2e76a8a58413eb19d3d9c51328b53 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 (281484) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2941). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.120
• 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
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.1.39
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

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