Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2023-53526

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-10-01
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.15.132 / 6.1.54 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click Patch available

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: jbd2: check 'jh->b_transaction' before removing it from checkpoint Following process will corrupt ext4 image: Step 1: jbd2_journal_commit_transaction __jbd2_journal_insert_checkpoint(jh, commit_transaction) // Put jh into trans1->t_checkpoint_list journal->j_checkpoint_transactions = commit_transaction // Put trans1 into journal->j_checkpoint_transactions Step 2: do_get_write_access test_clear_buffer_dirty(bh) // clear buffer dirty,set jbd dirty __jbd2_journal_file_buffer(jh, transaction) // jh belongs to trans2 Step 3: drop_cache journal_shrink_one_cp_list jbd2_journal_try_remove_checkpoint if (!trylock_buffer(bh)) // lock bh, true if (buffer_dirty(bh)) // buffer is not dirty __jbd2_journal_remove_checkpoint(jh) // remove jh from trans1->t_checkpoint_list Step 4: jbd2_log_do_checkpoint trans1 = journal->j_checkpoint_transactions // jh is not in trans1->t_checkpoint_list jbd2_cleanup_journal_tail(journal) // trans1 is done Step 5: Power cut, trans2 is not committed, jh is lost in next mounting. Fix it by checking 'jh->b_transaction' before remove it from checkpoint.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis

A detailed technical summary for this CVE is being prepared.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
Affected:>= 5.15.129, < 5.15.132>= 6.1.50, < 6.1.54>= 6.4.13, < 6.5>= 6.5.1, < 6.5.4= 6.5

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.15.132 / 6.1.54 / 6.5 or later
Fixed in 5.15.1326.1.546.5
Vendor patch git.kernel.org →
Recommended fix High confidence

5.15.132 / 6.1.54 / 6.5.4 (depending on branch)

  1. 1. Identify the currently running Linux kernel version using `uname -r`
  2. 2. Determine which kernel branch (5.15.x, 6.1.x, 6.4.x, or 6.5.x) your system is running
  3. 3. For 5.15.x branch: upgrade to kernel version 5.15.132 or later
  4. 4. For 6.1.x branch: upgrade to kernel version 6.1.54 or later
  5. 5. For 6.4.x branch: upgrade to kernel version 6.5 or later (6.5.x branch recommended)
  6. 6. For 6.5.x branch: upgrade to kernel version 6.5.4 or later
  7. 7. After upgrading, reboot the system to load the fixed kernel
  8. 8. Verify the fix is applied by checking the kernel version matches or exceeds the fixed release
Caveat Kernel upgrades may require matching system utilities and drivers; ensure compatibility with hardware and installed modules before upgrading production systems

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,600. Get the upgrade done

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-53526 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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