CVE-2023-54211 - Vulnerability Details

- tracing: Fix warning in trace_buffered_event_disable()

Description

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

tracing: Fix warning in trace_buffered_event_disable()

Warning happened in trace_buffered_event_disable() at
WARN_ON_ONCE(!trace_buffered_event_ref)

Call Trace:
? __warn+0xa5/0x1b0
? trace_buffered_event_disable+0x189/0x1b0
__ftrace_event_enable_disable+0x19e/0x3e0
free_probe_data+0x3b/0xa0
unregister_ftrace_function_probe_func+0x6b8/0x800
event_enable_func+0x2f0/0x3d0
ftrace_process_regex.isra.0+0x12d/0x1b0
ftrace_filter_write+0xe6/0x140
vfs_write+0x1c9/0x6f0
[...]

The cause of the warning is in __ftrace_event_enable_disable(),
trace_buffered_event_enable() was called once while
trace_buffered_event_disable() was called twice.
Reproduction script show as below, for analysis, see the comments:
```
#!/bin/bash

cd /sys/kernel/tracing/

# 1. Register a 'disable_event' command, then:
# 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was set;
# 2) trace_buffered_event_enable() was called first time;
echo 'cmdline_proc_show:disable_event:initcall:initcall_finish' > \
set_ftrace_filter

# 2. Enable the event registered, then:
# 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was cleared;
# 2) trace_buffered_event_disable() was called first time;
echo 1 > events/initcall/initcall_finish/enable

# 3. Try to call into cmdline_proc_show(), then SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was
# set again!!!
cat /proc/cmdline

# 4. Unregister the 'disable_event' command, then:
# 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was cleared again;
# 2) trace_buffered_event_disable() was called second time!!!
echo '!cmdline_proc_show:disable_event:initcall:initcall_finish' > \
set_ftrace_filter
```

To fix it, IIUC, we can change to call trace_buffered_event_enable() at
fist time soft-mode enabled, and call trace_buffered_event_disable() at
last time soft-mode disabled.

Published: 2025-12-30

Score: 5.5 Medium

EPSS: < 1% Very Low

KEV: No

Impact:

Action:

Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

Linux

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< 1488d782c9e43087a3f341b8186cd25f3cf75583
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< b4f4ab423107dc1ba8e9cc6488c645be6403d3f5
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< cdcc35e6454133feb61561b4e0d0c80e52cbc2ba
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< a6d2fd1703cdc8ecfc3e73987e0fb7474ae2b074
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< 813cede7b2f5a4b1b75d2d4bb4e705cc8e063b20
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< a3a3c7bddab9b6c5690b20796ef5e332b8c48afb
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< 528c9d73153754defb748f0b96ad33308668d817
`0fc1b09ff1ff404ddf753f5ffa5cd0adc8fdcdc9`	affected	< dea499781a1150d285c62b26659f62fb00824fce

Linux

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`4.7`	affected	—
`0`	unaffected	< 4.7
`4.14.322`	unaffected	≤ 4.14.*
`4.19.291`	unaffected	≤ 4.19.*
`5.4.253`	unaffected	≤ 5.4.*
`5.10.190`	unaffected	≤ 5.10.*
`5.15.124`	unaffected	≤ 5.15.*
`6.1.43`	unaffected	≤ 6.1.*
`6.4.8`	unaffected	≤ 6.4.*
`6.5`	unaffected	≤ *

No data.

No data available yet.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00047.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

References

Link	Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1488d782c9e43087a3f341b8186cd25f3cf75583
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/528c9d73153754defb748f0b96ad33308668d817
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/813cede7b2f5a4b1b75d2d4bb4e705cc8e063b20
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3a3c7bddab9b6c5690b20796ef5e332b8c48afb
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6d2fd1703cdc8ecfc3e73987e0fb7474ae2b074
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4f4ab423107dc1ba8e9cc6488c645be6403d3f5
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdcc35e6454133feb61561b4e0d0c80e52cbc2ba
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dea499781a1150d285c62b26659f62fb00824fce
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025123024-CVE-2023-54211-09e7@gregkh/T
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54211
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54211

History

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:15:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References		https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025123024-CVE-2023-54211-09e7@gregkh/T https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54211 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54211
Metrics	threat_severity `None`	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'}` threat_severity `Low`

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Fix warning in trace_buffered_event_disable() Warning happened in trace_buffered_event_disable() at WARN_ON_ONCE(!trace_buffered_event_ref) Call Trace: ? __warn+0xa5/0x1b0 ? trace_buffered_event_disable+0x189/0x1b0 __ftrace_event_enable_disable+0x19e/0x3e0 free_probe_data+0x3b/0xa0 unregister_ftrace_function_probe_func+0x6b8/0x800 event_enable_func+0x2f0/0x3d0 ftrace_process_regex.isra.0+0x12d/0x1b0 ftrace_filter_write+0xe6/0x140 vfs_write+0x1c9/0x6f0 [...] The cause of the warning is in __ftrace_event_enable_disable(), trace_buffered_event_enable() was called once while trace_buffered_event_disable() was called twice. Reproduction script show as below, for analysis, see the comments: ``` #!/bin/bash cd /sys/kernel/tracing/ # 1. Register a 'disable_event' command, then: # 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was set; # 2) trace_buffered_event_enable() was called first time; echo 'cmdline_proc_show:disable_event:initcall:initcall_finish' > \ set_ftrace_filter # 2. Enable the event registered, then: # 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was cleared; # 2) trace_buffered_event_disable() was called first time; echo 1 > events/initcall/initcall_finish/enable # 3. Try to call into cmdline_proc_show(), then SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was # set again!!! cat /proc/cmdline # 4. Unregister the 'disable_event' command, then: # 1) SOFT_DISABLED_BIT was cleared again; # 2) trace_buffered_event_disable() was called second time!!! echo '!cmdline_proc_show:disable_event:initcall:initcall_finish' > \ set_ftrace_filter ``` To fix it, IIUC, we can change to call trace_buffered_event_enable() at fist time soft-mode enabled, and call trace_buffered_event_disable() at last time soft-mode disabled.
Title		tracing: Fix warning in trace_buffered_event_disable()
First Time appeared		Linux Linux linux Kernel
CPEs		cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
Vendors & Products		Linux Linux linux Kernel
References		https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1488d782c9e43087a3f341b8186cd25f3cf75583 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/528c9d73153754defb748f0b96ad33308668d817 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/813cede7b2f5a4b1b75d2d4bb4e705cc8e063b20 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3a3c7bddab9b6c5690b20796ef5e332b8c48afb https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6d2fd1703cdc8ecfc3e73987e0fb7474ae2b074 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4f4ab423107dc1ba8e9cc6488c645be6403d3f5 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdcc35e6454133feb61561b4e0d0c80e52cbc2ba https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dea499781a1150d285c62b26659f62fb00824fce

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published: 2025-12-30T12:11:09.356Z

Updated: 2026-05-11T19:57:37.075Z

Reserved: 2025-12-30T12:06:44.500Z

Link: CVE-2023-54211

Vulnrichment

No data.

NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2025-12-30T13:16:09.303

Modified: 2026-04-15T00:35:42.020

Link: CVE-2023-54211

Redhat

Severity : Low

Publid Date: 2025-12-30T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-54211 - Bugzilla

OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.

Tracking

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

Subscriptions

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