CVE-2023-53246

Published: September 16, 2025Last modified: September 16, 2025

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cifs: fix DFS traversal oops without CONFIG_CIFS_DFS_UPCALL When compiled with CONFIG_CIFS_DFS_UPCALL disabled, cifs_dfs_d_automount is NULL. cifs.ko logic for mapping CIFS_FATTR_DFS_REFERRAL attributes to S_AUTOMOUNT and corresponding dentry flags is retained regardless of CONFIG_CIFS_DFS_UPCALL, leading to a NULL pointer dereference in VFS follow_automount() when traversing a DFS referral link: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 ... Call Trace: <TASK> __traverse_mounts+0xb5/0x220 ? cifs_revalidate_mapping+0x65/0xc0 [cifs] step_into+0x195/0x610 ? lookup_fast+0xe2/0xf0 path_lookupat+0x64/0x140 filename_lookup+0xc2/0x140 ? __create_object+0x299/0x380 ? kmem_cache_alloc+0x119/0x220 ? user_path_at_empty+0x31/0x50 user_path_at_empty+0x31/0x50 __x64_sys_chdir+0x2a/0xd0 ? exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0xca/0x100 do_syscall_64+0x42/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc This fix adds an inline cifs_dfs_d_automount() {return -EREMOTE} handler when CONFIG_CIFS_DFS_UPCALL is disabled. An alternative would be to avoid flagging S_AUTOMOUNT, etc. without CONFIG_CIFS_DFS_UPCALL. This approach was chosen as it provides more control over the error path.

Severity score breakdown

ParameterValue
Base score5.5
Attack VectorLOCAL
Attack complexityLOW
Privileges requiredLOW
User interactionNONE
ScopeUNCHANGED
ConfidentialityNONE
Integrity impactNONE
Availability impactHIGH
VectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Status

ProductReleasePackageStatus
Alpaquita Linux23 LTSlinux-ltsNot affected (6.1.33-r0)
25 LTSlinux-ltsNot affected (6.6.89-r0)
Streamlinux-ltsFixed (6.6.58-r0)

References

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