CVE-2023-54081
xen: speed up grant-table reclaim
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen: speed up grant-table reclaim When a grant entry is still in use by the remote domain, Linux must put it on a deferred list. Normally, this list is very short, because the PV network and block protocols expect the backend to unmap the grant first. However, Qubes OS's GUI protocol is subject to the constraints of the X Window System, and as such winds up with the frontend unmapping the window first. As a result, the list can grow very large, resulting in a massive memory leak and eventual VM freeze. To partially solve this problem, make the number of entries that the VM will attempt to free at each iteration tunable. The default is still 10, but it can be overridden via a module parameter. This is Cc: stable because (when combined with appropriate userspace changes) it fixes a severe performance and stability problem for Qubes OS users.
INFO
Published Date :
Dec. 24, 2025, 1:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
Dec. 24, 2025, 1:16 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2023-54081
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
- Adjust the number of deferred entries freed per iteration.
- Consider userspace changes for stability.
- Update the Linux kernel if possible.
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-2023-54081.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2023-54081 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-2023-54081
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).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2023-54081 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2023-54081 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: xen: speed up grant-table reclaim When a grant entry is still in use by the remote domain, Linux must put it on a deferred list. Normally, this list is very short, because the PV network and block protocols expect the backend to unmap the grant first. However, Qubes OS's GUI protocol is subject to the constraints of the X Window System, and as such winds up with the frontend unmapping the window first. As a result, the list can grow very large, resulting in a massive memory leak and eventual VM freeze. To partially solve this problem, make the number of entries that the VM will attempt to free at each iteration tunable. The default is still 10, but it can be overridden via a module parameter. This is Cc: stable because (when combined with appropriate userspace changes) it fixes a severe performance and stability problem for Qubes OS users. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c04e9894846c663f3278a414f34416e6e45bbe68 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c76d96c555895ac602c1587b001e5cf656abc371 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd1a8952ff529adc210e62306849fd6f256608c0