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).
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
References
History
Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values 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). | |
| Title | hwrng: virtio - Fix race on data_avail and actual data | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2025-12-24T10:55:34.856Z
Reserved: 2025-12-24T10:53:46.176Z
Link: CVE-2023-53998
No data.
Status : Received
Published: 2025-12-24T11:15:52.703
Modified: 2025-12-24T11:15:52.703
Link: CVE-2023-53998
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.