CVE-2023-53121: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: tcp_make_synack() can be called from process context tcp_rtx_synack() now c...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: tcp_make_synack() can be called from process context tcp_rtx_synack() now could be called in process context as explained in 0a375c822497 ("tcp: tcp_rtx_synack() can be called from process context"). tcp_rtx_synack() might call tcp_make_synack(), which will touch per-CPU variables with preemption enabled. This causes the following BUG: BUG: using __this_cpu_add() in preemptible [00000000] code: ThriftIO1/5464 caller is tcp_make_synack+0x841/0xac0 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x10d/0x1a0 check_preemption_disabled+0x104/0x110 tcp_make_synack+0x841/0xac0 tcp_v6_send_synack+0x5c/0x450 tcp_rtx_synack+0xeb/0x1f0 inet_rtx_syn_ack+0x34/0x60 tcp_check_req+0x3af/0x9e0 tcp_rcv_state_process+0x59b/0x2030 tcp_v6_do_rcv+0x5f5/0x700 release_sock+0x3a/0xf0 tcp_sendmsg+0x33/0x40 ____sys_sendmsg+0x2f2/0x490 __sys_sendmsg+0x184/0x230 do_syscall_64+0x3d/0x90 Avoid calling __TCP_INC_STATS() with will touch per-cpu variables. Use TCP_INC_STATS() which is safe to be called from context switch.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.15%

4.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 3.7, < 4.14.311	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.15, < 4.19.279	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.20, < 5.4.238	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.5, < 5.10.176	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.11, < 5.15.104	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.16, < 6.1.21	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.2, < 6.2.8	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	6.3	Rc1

References

Timeline

Published: May 2, 2025
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-53121?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: tcp_make_synack() can be called from process context tcp_rtx_synack() now could be called in process context as explained in 0a375c822497 ("tcp: tcp_rtx_synack() can be called from process context"). tcp_rtx_synack() might call tcp_make_synack(), which will touch per-CPU variables with preemption enabled. This causes the following BUG: BUG: using __this_cpu_add() in preemptible [00000000] code: ThriftIO1/5464 caller is tcp_make_synack+0x841/0xac0 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x10d/0x1a0 check_preemption_disabled+0x104/0x110 tcp_make_synack+0x841/0xac0 tcp_v6_send_synack+0x5c/0x450 tcp_rtx_synack+0xeb/0x1f0 inet_rtx_syn_ack+0x34/0x60 tcp_check_req+0x3af/0x9e0 tcp_rcv_state_process+0x59b/0x2030 tcp_v6_do_rcv+0x5f5/0x700 release_sock+0x3a/0xf0 tcp_sendmsg+0x33/0x40 ____sys_sendmsg+0x2f2/0x490 __sys_sendmsg+0x184/0x230 do_syscall_64+0x3d/0x90 Avoid calling __TCP_INC_STATS() with will touch per-cpu variables. Use TCP_INC_STATS() which is safe to be called from context switch.

How severe is CVE-2023-53121?

CVE-2023-53121 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.15% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-53121?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.