CVE-2023-53337

CVE-2023-53337 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: do not write dirty data after degenerating to read-only According to syzbot's report, mark_buffer_dirty() called from nilfs_segctor_do_construct() outputs a warning with some patterns after nilfs2 detects metadata corruption and degrades to read-only mode. After such read-only degeneration, page cache data may be cleared through nilfs_clear_dirty_page() which may also clear the uptodate flag for their buffer heads. However, even after the degeneration, log writes are still performed by unmount processing etc., which causes mark_buffer_dirty() to be called for buffer heads without the "uptodate" flag and causes the warning. Since any writes should not be done to a read-only file system in the first place, this fixes the warning in mark_buffer_dirty() by letting nilfs_segctor_do_construct() abort early if in read-only mode. This also changes the retry check of nilfs_segctor_write_out() to avoid unnecessary log write retries if it detects -EROFS that nilfs_segctor_do_construct() returned.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-53337?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: do not write dirty data after degenerating to read-only According to syzbot's report, mark_buffer_dirty() called from nilfs_segctor_do_construct() outputs a warning with some patterns after nilfs2 detects metadata corruption and degrades to read-only mode. After such read-only degeneration, page cache data may be cleared through nilfs_clear_dirty_page() which may also clear the uptodate flag for their buffer heads. However, even after the degeneration, log writes are still performed by unmount processing etc., which causes mark_buffer_dirty() to be called for buffer heads without the "uptodate" flag and causes the warning. Since any writes should not be done to a read-only file system in the first place, this fixes the warning in mark_buffer_dirty() by letting nilfs_segctor_do_construct() abort early if in read-only mode. This also changes the retry check of nilfs_segctor_write_out() to avoid unnecessary log write retries if it detects -EROFS that nilfs_segctor_do_construct() returned.
How severe is CVE-2023-53337?
CVE-2023-53337 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-53337 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53337?
CVE-2023-53337 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53337?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2023-53337 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2023-53337 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2023-59989.
When was CVE-2023-53337 published?
CVE-2023-53337 was published on 2025-09-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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