CVE-2023-23003

Perf crash via unchecked hashmap allocation failure

Published Mar 1, 2023 · Updated Mar 20, 2025

Unchecked return handling in Linux kernel perf before 5.16 allows local users to crash perf during expression-context creation. expr__ctx_new stores an ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM) from hashmap__new as ctx->ids without testing IS_ERR, leaving an error pointer where a valid hashmap is expected. Exploitation requires high privileges, a memory-allocation failure, and user interaction; the consequence is limited to the perf process's availability.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Unchecked return handling in Linux kernel perf before 5.16 allows local users to crash perf during expression-context creation. expr__ctx_new stores an ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM) from hashmap__new as ctx->ids without testing IS_ERR, leaving an error pointer where a valid hashmap is expected. Exploitation requires high privileges, a memory-allocation failure, and user interaction; the consequence is limited to the perf process's availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23003
Published
Mar 1, 2023
Updated
Mar 20, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-252, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 1, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 20, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.0CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-252Unchecked Return Value
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo