CVE-2023-33250Public exploit

Kernel crash via unlocked iopt_area access

Published May 21, 2023 · Updated Mar 18, 2025

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.3 iommufd allows local users with root-only /dev/iommu access to crash the kernel via an unmap ioctl. The iopt_unmap_iova_range path drops the lock protecting an iopt_area and later reads the area pointer after iopt_abort_area can free it. Concurrent map and unmap operations can therefore dereference freed memory and interrupt service; access to /dev/iommu is normally restricted to root.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
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 Linux kernel 6.3 iommufd allows local users with root-only /dev/iommu access to crash the kernel via an unmap ioctl. The iopt_unmap_iova_range path drops the lock protecting an iopt_area and later reads the area pointer after iopt_abort_area can free it. Concurrent map and unmap operations can therefore dereference freed memory and interrupt service; access to /dev/iommu is normally restricted to root.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-33250
Published
May 21, 2023
Updated
Mar 18, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 18, 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 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

4.4NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

Public exploit references

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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