CVE-2023-53606

nfsd: clean up potential nfsd_file refcount leaks in COPY codepath

Published Oct 4, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: clean up potential nfsd_file refcount leaks in COPY codepath

There are two different flavors of the nfsd4_copy struct. One is
embedded in the compound and is used directly in synchronous copies. The
other is dynamically allocated, refcounted and tracked in the client
struture. For the embedded one, the cleanup just involves releasing any
nfsd_files held on its behalf. For the async one, the cleanup is a bit
more involved, and we need to dequeue it from lists, unhash it, etc.

There is at least one potential refcount leak in this code now. If the
kthread_create call fails, then both the src and dst nfsd_files in the
original nfsd4_copy object are leaked.

The cleanup in this codepath is also sort of weird. In the async copy
case, we'll have up to four nfsd_file references (src and dst for both
flavors of copy structure). They are both put at the end of
nfsd4_do_async_copy, even though the ones held on behalf of the embedded
one outlive that structure.

Change it so that we always clean up the nfsd_file refs held by the
embedded copy structure before nfsd4_copy returns. Rework
cleanup_async_copy to handle both inter and intra copies. Eliminate
nfsd4_cleanup_intra_ssc since it now becomes a no-op.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2023-60002 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: clean up potential nfsd_file refcount leaks in COPY codepath There are two different flavors of the nfsd4_copy struct. One is embedded in the compound and is used directly in synchronous copies. The other is dynamically allocated, refcounted and tracked in the client struture. For the embedded one, the cleanup just involves releasing any nfsd_files held on its behalf. For the async one, the cleanup is a bit more involved, and we need to dequeue it from lists, unhash it, etc. There is at least one potential refcount leak in this code now. If the kthread_create call fails, then both the src and dst nfsd_files in the original nfsd4_copy object are leaked. The cleanup in this codepath is also sort of weird. In the async copy case, we'll have up to four nfsd_file references (src and dst for both flavors of copy structure). They are both put at the end of nfsd4_do_async_copy, even though the ones held on behalf of the embedded one outlive that structure. Change it so that we always clean up the nfsd_file refs held by the embedded copy structure before nfsd4_copy returns. Rework cleanup_async_copy to handle both inter and intra copies. Eliminate nfsd4_cleanup_intra_ssc since it now becomes a no-op.
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics 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'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-Other
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
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

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: clean up potential nfsd_file refcount leaks in COPY codepath There are two different flavors of the nfsd4_copy struct. One is embedded in the compound and is used directly in synchronous copies. The other is dynamically allocated, refcounted and tracked in the client struture. For the embedded one, the cleanup just involves releasing any nfsd_files held on its behalf. For the async one, the cleanup is a bit more involved, and we need to dequeue it from lists, unhash it, etc. There is at least one potential refcount leak in this code now. If the kthread_create call fails, then both the src and dst nfsd_files in the original nfsd4_copy object are leaked. The cleanup in this codepath is also sort of weird. In the async copy case, we'll have up to four nfsd_file references (src and dst for both flavors of copy structure). They are both put at the end of nfsd4_do_async_copy, even though the ones held on behalf of the embedded one outlive that structure. Change it so that we always clean up the nfsd_file refs held by the embedded copy structure before nfsd4_copy returns. Rework cleanup_async_copy to handle both inter and intra copies. Eliminate nfsd4_cleanup_intra_ssc since it now becomes a no-op.
Title nfsd: clean up potential nfsd_file refcount leaks in COPY codepath
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 15, 2026, 9:41 PM
Reserved
Oct 4, 2025, 3:40 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Oct 4, 2025, 4:15 PM
Modified
Oct 15, 2026, 10:17 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Oct 4, 2025, 12:00 AM