CVE-2023-54002

Kernel crash via btrfs exclusive-operation race

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Race condition in the Linux kernel btrfs subsystem allows local users to crash the kernel through concurrent device-add operations. In fs/btrfs/ioctl.c, btrfs_exclop_balance asserts an incomplete set of valid exclusive-operation states after racing threads change the state to NONE or BALANCE_PAUSED. Reaching the assertion requires privileged balance and device-add ioctls against the same mount, and the resulting failed assertion interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in the Linux kernel btrfs subsystem allows local users to crash the kernel through concurrent device-add operations. In fs/btrfs/ioctl.c, btrfs_exclop_balance asserts an incomplete set of valid exclusive-operation states after racing threads change the state to NONE or BALANCE_PAUSED. Reaching the assertion requires privileged balance and device-add ioctls against the same mount, and the resulting failed assertion interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54002
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 24, 2025Record 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <17eaeee4c5f24946aad0298d51f32981c3161d13
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6062e9e335a3bf409b5118bfe4cc10aff4b6adb1
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7877dc1136ada770622d22041be306539902951b
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ac868bc9d136cde6e3eb5de77019a63d57a540ff

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <17eaeee4c5f24946aad0298d51f32981c3161d13; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6062e9e335a3bf409b5118bfe4cc10aff4b6adb1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7877dc1136ada770622d22041be306539902951b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ac868bc9d136cde6e3eb5de77019a63d57a540ff

Published CVSS scores

4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.7SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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