CVE-2023-53431

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: ses: Handle enclosure with just a primary component gracefully This reverts commit 3fe97ff3d949 ("scsi: ses: Don't attach if enclosure has no components") and introduces proper handling of case where there are no detected secondary components, but primary component (enumerated in num_enclosures) does exist. That fix was originally proposed by Ding Hui <[email protected]>. Completely ignoring devices that have one primary enclosure and no secondary one results in ses_intf_add() bailing completely scsi 2:0:0:254: enclosure has no enumerated components scsi 2:0:0:254: Failed to bind enclosure -12ven in valid configurations such even on valid configurations with 1 primary and 0 secondary enclosures as below: # sg_ses /dev/sg0 3PARdata SES 3321 Supported diagnostic pages: Supported Diagnostic Pages [sdp] [0x0] Configuration (SES) [cf] [0x1] Short Enclosure Status (SES) [ses] [0x8] # sg_ses -p cf /dev/sg0 3PARdata SES 3321 Configuration diagnostic page: number of secondary subenclosures: 0 generation code: 0x0 enclosure descriptor list Subenclosure identifier: 0 [primary] relative ES process id: 0, number of ES processes: 1 number of type descriptor headers: 1 enclosure logical identifier (hex): 20000002ac02068d enclosure vendor: 3PARdata product: VV rev: 3321 type descriptor header and text list Element type: Unspecified, subenclosure id: 0 number of possible elements: 1 The changelog for the original fix follows ===== We can get a crash when disconnecting the iSCSI session, the call trace like this: [ffff00002a00fb70] kfree at ffff00000830e224 [ffff00002a00fba0] ses_intf_remove at ffff000001f200e4 [ffff00002a00fbd0] device_del at ffff0000086b6a98 [ffff00002a00fc50] device_unregister at ffff0000086b6d58 [ffff00002a00fc70] __scsi_remove_device at ffff00000870608c [ffff00002a00fca0] scsi_remove_device at ffff000008706134 [ffff00002a00fcc0] __scsi_remove_target at ffff0000087062e4 [ffff00002a00fd10] scsi_remove_target at ffff0000087064c0 [ffff00002a00fd70] __iscsi_unbind_session at ffff000001c872c4 [ffff00002a00fdb0] process_one_work at ffff00000810f35c [ffff00002a00fe00] worker_thread at ffff00000810f648 [ffff00002a00fe70] kthread at ffff000008116e98 In ses_intf_add, components count could be 0, and kcalloc 0 size scomp, but not saved in edev->component[i].scratch In this situation, edev->component[0].scratch is an invalid pointer, when kfree it in ses_intf_remove_enclosure, a crash like above would happen The call trace also could be other random cases when kfree cannot catch the invalid pointer We should not use edev->component[] array when the components count is 0 We also need check index when use edev->component[] array in ses_enclosure_data_process =====

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited from the same network segment without logging in. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2025-09-18 16:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-08-04 10:19 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 8.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2025-09-18 16:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-08-04 10:19 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Record status

Modified

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 4.19.281
• Linux Kernel < 5.4.241
• Linux Kernel < 5.10.178
• Linux Kernel < 5.15.108
• Linux Kernel < 6.1.25
• Linux Kernel < 6.2.12
• Linux Kernel 6.3

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 8.8

Attack vector

Adjacent network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2023-53431.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2023-53431. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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