Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ovl: fix null pointer dereference in ovl_permission()

Following process:
P1 P2
path_lookupat
link_path_walk
inode_permission
ovl_permission
ovl_i_path_real(inode, &realpath)
path->dentry = ovl_i_dentry_upper(inode)
drop_cache
__dentry_kill(ovl_dentry)
iput(ovl_inode)
ovl_destroy_inode(ovl_inode)
dput(oi->__upperdentry)
dentry_kill(upperdentry)
dentry_unlink_inode
upperdentry->d_inode = NULL
realinode = d_inode(realpath.dentry) // return NULL
inode_permission(realinode)
inode->i_sb // NULL pointer dereference
, will trigger an null pointer dereference at realinode:
[ 335.664979] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference,
address: 0000000000000002
[ 335.668032] CPU: 0 PID: 2592 Comm: ls Not tainted 6.3.0
[ 335.669956] RIP: 0010:inode_permission+0x33/0x2c0
[ 335.678939] Call Trace:
[ 335.679165] <TASK>
[ 335.679371] ovl_permission+0xde/0x320
[ 335.679723] inode_permission+0x15e/0x2c0
[ 335.680090] link_path_walk+0x115/0x550
[ 335.680771] path_lookupat.isra.0+0xb2/0x200
[ 335.681170] filename_lookup+0xda/0x240
[ 335.681922] vfs_statx+0xa6/0x1f0
[ 335.682233] vfs_fstatat+0x7b/0xb0

Fetch a reproducer in [Link].

Use the helper ovl_i_path_realinode() to get realinode and then do
non-nullptr checking.
Published: 2025-09-15
Score: 5.5 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2023-59824 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: fix null pointer dereference in ovl_permission() Following process: P1 P2 path_lookupat link_path_walk inode_permission ovl_permission ovl_i_path_real(inode, &realpath) path->dentry = ovl_i_dentry_upper(inode) drop_cache __dentry_kill(ovl_dentry) iput(ovl_inode) ovl_destroy_inode(ovl_inode) dput(oi->__upperdentry) dentry_kill(upperdentry) dentry_unlink_inode upperdentry->d_inode = NULL realinode = d_inode(realpath.dentry) // return NULL inode_permission(realinode) inode->i_sb // NULL pointer dereference , will trigger an null pointer dereference at realinode: [ 335.664979] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000002 [ 335.668032] CPU: 0 PID: 2592 Comm: ls Not tainted 6.3.0 [ 335.669956] RIP: 0010:inode_permission+0x33/0x2c0 [ 335.678939] Call Trace: [ 335.679165] <TASK> [ 335.679371] ovl_permission+0xde/0x320 [ 335.679723] inode_permission+0x15e/0x2c0 [ 335.680090] link_path_walk+0x115/0x550 [ 335.680771] path_lookupat.isra.0+0xb2/0x200 [ 335.681170] filename_lookup+0xda/0x240 [ 335.681922] vfs_statx+0xa6/0x1f0 [ 335.682233] vfs_fstatat+0x7b/0xb0 Fetch a reproducer in [Link]. Use the helper ovl_i_path_realinode() to get realinode and then do non-nullptr checking.
History

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: fix null pointer dereference in ovl_permission() Following process: P1 P2 path_lookupat link_path_walk inode_permission ovl_permission ovl_i_path_real(inode, &realpath) path->dentry = ovl_i_dentry_upper(inode) drop_cache __dentry_kill(ovl_dentry) iput(ovl_inode) ovl_destroy_inode(ovl_inode) dput(oi->__upperdentry) dentry_kill(upperdentry) dentry_unlink_inode upperdentry->d_inode = NULL realinode = d_inode(realpath.dentry) // return NULL inode_permission(realinode) inode->i_sb // NULL pointer dereference , will trigger an null pointer dereference at realinode: [ 335.664979] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000002 [ 335.668032] CPU: 0 PID: 2592 Comm: ls Not tainted 6.3.0 [ 335.669956] RIP: 0010:inode_permission+0x33/0x2c0 [ 335.678939] Call Trace: [ 335.679165] <TASK> [ 335.679371] ovl_permission+0xde/0x320 [ 335.679723] inode_permission+0x15e/0x2c0 [ 335.680090] link_path_walk+0x115/0x550 [ 335.680771] path_lookupat.isra.0+0xb2/0x200 [ 335.681170] filename_lookup+0xda/0x240 [ 335.681922] vfs_statx+0xa6/0x1f0 [ 335.682233] vfs_fstatat+0x7b/0xb0 Fetch a reproducer in [Link]. Use the helper ovl_i_path_realinode() to get realinode and then do non-nullptr checking.
Title ovl: fix null pointer dereference in ovl_permission()
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T19:41:21.024Z

Reserved: 2025-09-15T14:19:21.850Z

Link: CVE-2023-53260

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-14T18:02:31.571Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2025-09-15T15:15:53.430

Modified: 2026-01-14T18:16:38.670

Link: CVE-2023-53260

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-09-15T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-53260 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-09-17T10:06:50Z

Weaknesses