CVE-2023-52779

fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function

Published May 21, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function

When vfs_getattr_nosec() calls a filesystem's getattr interface function
then the 'nosec' should propagate into this function so that
vfs_getattr_nosec() can again be called from the filesystem's gettattr
rather than vfs_getattr(). The latter would add unnecessary security
checks that the initial vfs_getattr_nosec() call wanted to avoid.
Therefore, introduce the getattr flag GETATTR_NOSEC and allow to pass
with the new getattr_flags parameter to the getattr interface function.
In overlayfs and ecryptfs use this flag to determine which one of the
two functions to call.

In a recent code change introduced to IMA vfs_getattr_nosec() ended up
calling vfs_getattr() in overlayfs, which in turn called
security_inode_getattr() on an exiting process that did not have
current->fs set anymore, which then caused a kernel NULL pointer
dereference. With this change the call to security_inode_getattr() can
be avoided, thus avoiding the NULL pointer dereference.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.7:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.7:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

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

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 7:32 PM
Reserved
May 21, 2024, 3:19 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 21, 2024, 4:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 6:43 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
May 21, 2024, 12:00 AM