CVE-2023-53051: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2023-53051 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's dm-crypt module that was disclosed on May 2, 2025. The issue involves the dmcrypt_write() function running for an unbounded amount of time without proper CPU scheduling, leading to potential system lockups (NVD CVE).

The vulnerability stems from a missing cond_resched() call in the dmcrypt_write() function, which can cause CPU soft lockups lasting up to 23 seconds. This manifests as a watchdog warning: 'BUG: soft lockup - CPU#12 stuck for 23s! [dmcrypt_write/2:2897]'. The issue has been assigned a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) indicating moderate severity (Red Hat CVE).

The vulnerability affects system availability by potentially causing CPU cores to become unresponsive for extended periods when processing dm-crypt write operations. This can lead to system performance degradation and temporary unresponsiveness (Red Hat CVE).

The vulnerability requires local access and low privileges to exploit. It occurs during normal system operation when using dm-crypt encrypted devices, particularly during write operations (Red Hat CVE).

The issue has been fixed in various Linux distributions including Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (5.15.0-79.86), Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (5.4.0-156.173), and other supported versions. Red Hat has deferred fixes for RHEL 9. The fix involves adding a cond_resched() call to the dmcrypt_write() function (Ubuntu Security).