CVE-2023-2612: shiftfs lock unbalance in Ubuntu-specific kernels
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2023-2612 is a medium (CVSS 4.7) Improper Locking vulnerability in canonical ltd. ubuntu-linux. EPSS estimates a 0.28% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 21% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 4.4, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 12 · Related 11Timeline
- 30-05-2023PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 13-02-2025Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
Jean-Baptiste Cayrou discovered that the shiftfs file system in the Ubuntu Linux kernel contained a race condition when handling inode locking in some situations. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service (kernel deadlock).
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 3 sources · 1 version- CVE.orgCNA4.4MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated4.7MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.28%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
21%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.28% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: local access, administrative account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu86 products
- linux< 5.4.0-150.167 | < 5.15.0-73.80
- linux-aws< 5.4.0-1103.111 | < 5.15.0-1037.41
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
Canonical1 product
- ubuntu_linuxEOL20.04 | 22.04 | 22.10
Canonical ltd.1 product
- ubuntu-linux< 02b47547824b1cd0d55c6744f91886f04de8947e
3 vendors · 88 products