In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

blk-mq: fix tags leak when shrink nr_hw_queues

Although we don't need to realloc set->tags[] when shrink nr_hw_queues,
we need to free them. Or these tags will be leaked.

How to reproduce:
1. mount -t configfs configfs /mnt
2. modprobe null_blk nr_devices=0 submit_queues=8
3. mkdir /mnt/nullb/nullb0
4. echo 1 > /mnt/nullb/nullb0/power
5. echo 4 > /mnt/nullb/nullb0/submit_queues
6. rmdir /mnt/nullb/nullb0

In step 4, will alloc 9 tags (8 submit queues and 1 poll queue), then
in step 5, new_nr_hw_queues = 5 (4 submit queues and 1 poll queue).
At last in step 6, only these 5 tags are freed, the other 4 tags leaked.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00027.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
Linux Linux unaffected
Version Status Constraints
a846a8e6c9a5949582c5a6a8bbc83a7d27fd891e affected
< c0ef7493e68b8896806a2f598fcffbaa97333405
a846a8e6c9a5949582c5a6a8bbc83a7d27fd891e affected
< e1dd7bc93029024af5688253b0c05181d6e01f8e
Linux Linux affected
Version Status Constraints
5.16 affected
—
0 unaffected
< 5.16
6.5.5 unaffected
≤ 6.5.*
6.6 unaffected
≤ *

No data.

No data.

No data.

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Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0ef7493e68b8896806a2f598fcffbaa97333405 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1dd7bc93029024af5688253b0c05181d6e01f8e cve-icon cve-icon
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025123029-CVE-2023-54227-5c6c@gregkh/T cve-icon
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54227 cve-icon
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54227 cve-icon
History

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:15:00 +0000

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

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-mq: fix tags leak when shrink nr_hw_queues Although we don't need to realloc set->tags[] when shrink nr_hw_queues, we need to free them. Or these tags will be leaked. How to reproduce: 1. mount -t configfs configfs /mnt 2. modprobe null_blk nr_devices=0 submit_queues=8 3. mkdir /mnt/nullb/nullb0 4. echo 1 > /mnt/nullb/nullb0/power 5. echo 4 > /mnt/nullb/nullb0/submit_queues 6. rmdir /mnt/nullb/nullb0 In step 4, will alloc 9 tags (8 submit queues and 1 poll queue), then in step 5, new_nr_hw_queues = 5 (4 submit queues and 1 poll queue). At last in step 6, only these 5 tags are freed, the other 4 tags leaked.
Title blk-mq: fix tags leak when shrink nr_hw_queues
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-05T11:36:53.997Z

Reserved: 2025-12-30T12:06:44.502Z

Link: CVE-2023-54227

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2025-12-30T13:16:11.093

Modified: 2025-12-31T20:42:43.210

Link: CVE-2023-54227

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Low

Publid Date: 2025-12-30T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-54227 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.