# CVE-2023-53281: linux: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  drivers: staging: rtl8723bs: Fix locking in _rtw...

CVE-2023-53281 is fixed in linux on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281, released September 16, 2025. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-53281
- Priority: Routine
- CVSS: 5.5 (medium)
- EPSS: 0.0012
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Sep 16, 2025

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  drivers: staging: rtl8723bs: Fix locking in _rtw_join_timeout_handler()  Commit 041879b12ddb ("drivers: staging: rtl8192bs: Fix deadlock in rtw_joinbss_event_prehandle()") besides fixing the deadlock also modified _rtw_join_timeout_handler() to use spin_[un]lock_irq() instead of spin_[un]lock_bh().  _rtw_join_timeout_handler() calls rtw_do_join() which takes pmlmepriv->scanned_queue.lock using spin_[un]lock_bh(). This spin_unlock_bh() call re-enables softirqs which triggers an oops in kernel/softirq.c: __local_bh_enable_ip() when it calls lockdep_assert_irqs_enabled():  [  244.506087] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 0 at kernel/softirq.c:376 __local_bh_enable_ip+0xa6/0x100 ... [  244.509022] Call Trace: [  244.509048]  <IRQ> [  244.509100]  _rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x134/0x170 [r8723bs] [  244.509468]  ? __pfx__rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x10/0x10 [r8723bs] [  244.509772]  ? __pfx__rtw_join_timeout_handler+0x10/0x10 [r8723bs] [  244.510076]  call_timer_fn+0x95/0x2a0 [  244.510200]  __run_timers.part.0+0x1da/0x2d0  This oops is causd by the switch to spin_[un]lock_irq() which disables the IRQs for the entire duration of _rtw_join_timeout_handler().  Disabling the IRQs is not necessary since all code taking this lock runs from either user contexts or from softirqs, switch back to spin_[un]lock_bh() to fix this.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | linux Debian 12.15 (bookworm) | 6.1.37-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2023-53281.md) | Sep 16, 2025 |
| Linux | linux Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 6.3.7-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2023-53281.md) | Sep 16, 2025 |
| Linux | linux Debian 14 | 6.3.7-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53281](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2023-53281.md) | Sep 16, 2025 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T06:59:42Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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