{"cve":"CVE-2023-53478","nvd":{"published":"2025-10-01T12:15:50.270","modified":"2026-08-04T10:19:07.963","status":"Modified","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ntracing/synthetic: Fix races on freeing last_cmd\n\nCurrently, the \"last_cmd\" variable can be accessed by multiple processes\nasynchronously when multiple users manipulate synthetic_events node\nat the same time, it could lead to use-after-free or double-free.\n\nThis patch add \"lastcmd_mutex\" to prevent \"last_cmd\" from being accessed\nasynchronously.\n\n================================================================\n\nIt's easy to reproduce in the KASAN environment by running the two\nscripts below in different shells.\n\nscript 1:\n        while :\n        do\n                echo -n -e '\\x88' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events\n        done\n\nscript 2:\n        while :\n        do\n                echo -n -e '\\xb0' > /sys/kernel/tracing/synthetic_events\n        done\n\n================================================================\ndouble-free scenario:\n\n    process A                       process B\n-------------------               ---------------\n1.kstrdup last_cmd\n                                  2.free last_cmd\n3.free last_cmd(double-free)\n\n================================================================\nuse-after-free scenario:\n\n    process A                       process B\n-------------------               ---------------\n1.kstrdup last_cmd\n                                  2.free last_cmd\n3.tracing_log_err(use-after-free)\n\n================================================================\n\nAppendix 1. KASAN report double-free:\n\nBUG: KASAN: double-free in kfree+0xdc/0x1d4\nFree of addr ***** by task sh/4879\nCall trace:\n        ...\n        kfree+0xdc/0x1d4\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...\n\nAllocated by task 4879:\n        ...\n        kstrdup+0x5c/0x98\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0x6c/0x1e8\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...\n\nFreed by task 5464:\n        ...\n        kfree+0xdc/0x1d4\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0x60/0x1e8\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...\n\n================================================================\nAppendix 2. KASAN report use-after-free:\n\nBUG: KASAN: use-after-free in strlen+0x5c/0x7c\nRead of size 1 at addr ***** by task sh/5483\nsh: CPU: 7 PID: 5483 Comm: sh\n        ...\n        __asan_report_load1_noabort+0x34/0x44\n        strlen+0x5c/0x7c\n        tracing_log_err+0x60/0x444\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0xc4/0x204\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...\n\nAllocated by task 5483:\n        ...\n        kstrdup+0x5c/0x98\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0x80/0x204\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...\n\nFreed by task 5480:\n        ...\n        kfree+0xdc/0x1d4\n        create_or_delete_synth_event+0x74/0x204\n        trace_parse_run_command+0x2bc/0x4b8\n        synth_events_write+0x20/0x30\n        vfs_write+0x200/0x830\n        ...","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":{"version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","score":4.7},"cwes":["CWE-362"],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ccf11c4e8a8e051499d53a12f502196c97a758e","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8826d9e7bd51e7656f78baa4472e8e2f5e7069f0","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9fe183f659a2704255e5d84f6ae308c234a113ec"],"products":["linux:linux_kernel"],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T22:11:26.888974865+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2023-53478","score":0.00116,"percentile":0.01623,"date":"2026-11-01"},"kev":null,"osv":[],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}