CVE-2023-52699
MEDIUMDescription
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sysv: don't call sb_bread() with pointers_lock held syzbot is reporting sleep in atomic context in SysV filesystem [1], for sb_bread() is called with rw_spinlock held. A "write_lock(&pointers_lock) => read_lock(&pointers_lock) deadlock" bug and a "sb_bread() with write_lock(&pointers_lock)" bug were introduced by "Replace BKL for chain locking with sysvfs-private rwlock" in Linux 2.5.12. Then, "[PATCH] err1-40: sysvfs locking fix" in Linux 2.6.8 fixed the former bug by moving pointers_lock lock to the callers, but instead introduced a "sb_bread() with read_lock(&pointers_lock)" bug (which made this problem easier to hit). Al Viro suggested that why not to do like get_branch()/get_block()/ find_shared() in Minix filesystem does. And doing like that is almost a revert of "[PATCH] err1-40: sysvfs locking fix" except that get_branch() from with find_shared() is called without write_lock(&pointers_lock).
How to fix
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Exploit Intelligence
Moderate risk: more likely to be exploited than 59% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-667 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2019-10072 | High | 7.5 | 73% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2002-1850 | High | 7.5 | 17% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2009-2699 | High | 7.5 | 14% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2004-0174 | High | 7.5 | 12% | - | - |
| CVE-2009-4272 | High | 7.5 | 11% | - | - |
| CVE-2020-24606 | High | 8.6 | 5.2% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2023-52699?
Published advisories record a fix for 152 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2023-52699 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2023-52699 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.97% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 59% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2023-52699?
CVE-2023-52699 has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.3, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2023-52699 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for linux (Debian), linux (Ubuntu), linux-aws (Ubuntu), linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu), and 148 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-04-04.