CVE-2023-53998
hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data The virtio rng device kicks off a new entropy request whenever the data available reaches zero. When a new request occurs at the end of a read operation, that is, when the result of that request is only needed by the next reader, then there is a race between the writing of the new data and the next reader. This is because there is no synchronisation whatsoever between the writer and the reader. Fix this by writing data_avail with smp_store_release and reading it with smp_load_acquire when we first enter read. The subsequent reads are safe because they're either protected by the first load acquire, or by the completion mechanism. Also remove the redundant zeroing of data_idx in random_recv_done (data_idx must already be zero at this point) and data_avail in request_entropy (ditto).
INFO
Published Date :
Dec. 24, 2025, 11:15 a.m.
Last Modified :
Dec. 24, 2025, 11:15 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2023-53998
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
Solution
- Update the Linux kernel to the latest version.
- Ensure kernel modules are properly synchronized.
- Review synchronization mechanisms for data access.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2023-53998.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2023-53998 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2023-53998
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
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The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2023-53998 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2023-53998 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Dec. 24, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data The virtio rng device kicks off a new entropy request whenever the data available reaches zero. When a new request occurs at the end of a read operation, that is, when the result of that request is only needed by the next reader, then there is a race between the writing of the new data and the next reader. This is because there is no synchronisation whatsoever between the writer and the reader. Fix this by writing data_avail with smp_store_release and reading it with smp_load_acquire when we first enter read. The subsequent reads are safe because they're either protected by the first load acquire, or by the completion mechanism. Also remove the redundant zeroing of data_idx in random_recv_done (data_idx must already be zero at this point) and data_avail in request_entropy (ditto). Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22c30022cde6e2c88612b3a499223cfa912f1bc7 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/241ef15776a7c8505008db689175b320d345ecd3 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fc91f156b3f3446a1bce80cf4adedcbf41271c2 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/318657b4c2077289659f1cd9e2a34f6a3b208e3e Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/77471e4912d3960dafe141e268c44be8024fe4dc Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a43bcb0b661cbbf3ad797d2aee6b6fd06b8fc69d Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac52578d6e8d300dd50f790f29a24169b1edd26c Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c76d991b6f01a5d931e7053a73bc9524975a5215