CVE-2023-52779

MEDIUM

Linux Kernel 6.5-6.6.3 - NULL Pointer Dereference in vfs_getattr_nosec

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function When vfs_getattr_nosec() calls a filesystem's getattr interface function then the 'nosec' should propagate into this function so that vfs_getattr_nosec() can again be called from the filesystem's gettattr rather than vfs_getattr(). The latter would add unnecessary security checks that the initial vfs_getattr_nosec() call wanted to avoid. Therefore, introduce the getattr flag GETATTR_NOSEC and allow to pass with the new getattr_flags parameter to the getattr interface function. In overlayfs and ecryptfs use this flag to determine which one of the two functions to call. In a recent code change introduced to IMA vfs_getattr_nosec() ended up calling vfs_getattr() in overlayfs, which in turn called security_inode_getattr() on an exiting process that did not have current->fs set anymore, which then caused a kernel NULL pointer dereference. With this change the call to security_inode_getattr() can be avoided, thus avoiding the NULL pointer dereference.

Scores

CVSS v3 5.5
EPSS 0.0021
EPSS Percentile 10.9%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

CWE
CWE-476
Status published
Products (8)
Linux/Linux < 6.5
Linux/Linux 6.5
Linux/Linux 6.6.4 - 6.6.*
Linux/Linux 6.7
Linux/Linux db1d1e8b9867aae5c3e61ad7859abfcc4a6fd6c7 - 3fb0fa08641903304b9d81d52a379ff031dc41d4
Linux/Linux db1d1e8b9867aae5c3e61ad7859abfcc4a6fd6c7 - 8a924db2d7b5eb69ba08b1a0af46e9f1359a9bdf
linux/linux_kernel 6.7 rc1 (2 CPE variants)
linux/linux_kernel 6.5 - 6.6.4
Published May 21, 2024
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026