CVE-2023-52444

Filesystem corruption via stale parent directory entry

Published Feb 22, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Directory-entry corruption in Linux allows local users to corrupt F2FS metadata through a cross-directory whiteout rename. In f2fs_rename(), the whiteout path skips f2fs_set_link(), leaving the moved directory's '..' entry pointing to its former parent. Ordinary write and rename permission on an already-mounted F2FS volume is enough; the persistent inconsistency can expose unrelated directories, fail filesystem checks, or require repair or a wipe.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Directory-entry corruption in Linux allows local users to corrupt F2FS metadata through a cross-directory whiteout rename. In f2fs_rename(), the whiteout path skips f2fs_set_link(), leaving the moved directory's '..' entry pointing to its former parent. Ordinary write and rename permission on an already-mounted F2FS volume is enough; the persistent inconsistency can expose unrelated directories, fail filesystem checks, or require repair or a wipe.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52444
Published
Feb 22, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1565.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.2
  2. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46
  3. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <2fb4867f4405aea8c0519d7d188207f232a57862
  4. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <53edb549565f55ccd0bdf43be3d66ce4c2d48b28
  5. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024
  6. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310
  7. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <d3c0b49aaa12a61d560528f5d605029ab57f0728
  8. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <f0145860c20be6bae6785c7a2249577674702ac7
  9. Affected versionversion=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <f100ba617d8be6c98a68f3744ef7617082975b77

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.2; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <2fb4867f4405aea8c0519d7d188207f232a57862; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <53edb549565f55ccd0bdf43be3d66ce4c2d48b28; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <d3c0b49aaa12a61d560528f5d605029ab57f0728; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <f0145860c20be6bae6785c7a2249577674702ac7; version=7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 <f100ba617d8be6c98a68f3744ef7617082975b77

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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