Description
systemd 250 and 251 allows local users to achieve a systemd-coredump deadlock by triggering a crash that has a long backtrace. This occurs in parse_elf_object in shared/elf-util.c. The exploitation methodology is to crash a binary calling the same function recursively, and put it in a deeply nested directory to make its backtrace large enough to cause the deadlock. This must be done 16 times when MaxConnections=16 is set for the systemd/units/systemd-coredump.socket file.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | systemd | 252-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | systemd | 252-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | systemd | 252-1 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 9 | systemd +9 | 250-12.el9_1.3 | RHSA-2023:0954 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 9 | systemd +9 | 250-12.el9_1.3 | ALSA-2023:0954 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 9 | systemd | 250-12.el9_1.3 | RLSA-2023:0954 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | systemd +13 | 252.4-1161.amzn2023.0.1 | ALAS2023-2023-025 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | systemd-bootstrap | 250.3-17 | — |
| Azure Linux 2 (CBL-Mariner) | systemd | 250.3-12 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 9 | systemd +9 | 250-12.0.2.el9_1.3 | ELSA-2023-0954 |
Advisories 9
- ALSA-2023:0954 Moderate: systemd security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- SSA-398330 SSA-398330: Vulnerabilities in the additional GNU/Linux subsystem of the SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP >= V3.1.0 and < V3.1.5 Siemens ProductCERT · Oct 13, 2026
- RHSA-2023:0954 Red Hat Security Advisory: systemd security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RLSA-2023:0954 Moderate: systemd security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Feb 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2023-1542 Red Hat OpenShift: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 18, 2025
- ICSA-23-348-10 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CISA ICS & IT advisories · Aug 12, 2025
- WID-SEC-2022-2165 systemd: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · May 5, 2024
- ELSA-2023-0954 Moderate: systemd security update (Oracle Linux 9) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Mar 1, 2023
- ALAS2023-2023-025 Moderate: systemd security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Feb 22, 2023