CVE-2023-2680Public exploit

Guest-to-host execution via recursive EHCI DMA

Published Sep 13, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Use-after-free in Red Hat QEMU-KVM on RHEL 9.1 allows guest OS users to crash QEMU or execute code in its host process. EHCI packet transfer accepts a DMA buffer pointer overlapping the controller's MMIO registers, so the transfer recursively invokes device actions while still active. Reachability requires control of a guest using the emulated EHCI controller; libvirt, SELinux, and sVirt can constrain a successful host escape.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Red Hat QEMU-KVM on RHEL 9.1 allows guest OS users to crash QEMU or execute code in its host process. EHCI packet transfer accepts a DMA buffer pointer overlapping the controller's MMIO registers, so the transfer recursively invokes device actions while still active. Reachability requires control of a guest using the emulated EHCI controller; libvirt, SELinux, and sVirt can constrain a successful host escape.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-2680
Published
Sep 13, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Classifications
CWE-416, T1611, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 13, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Red Hat · Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9Affected versions are unavailable in this record.
Red Hat · QEMU-KVMAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1611Escape to Host
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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