Kernel protection bypass via overlong exFAT filenames
Published Aug 9, 2023 · Updated Nov 14, 2025
Stack-based buffer overflow in the exFAT driver in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 allows local users to overwrite kernel memory. exfat_get_uniname_from_ext_entry accepts excess filename entries and copies their characters into a 258-character stack array without enforcing the 255-character limit. Administrative privileges and a crafted exFAT filesystem are required; exploitation can disable kernel lockdown, load unsigned modules, or panic the kernel.
Summary
What happened
Stack-based buffer overflow in the exFAT driver in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 allows local users to overwrite kernel memory. exfat_get_uniname_from_ext_entry accepts excess filename entries and copies their characters into a 258-character stack array without enforcing the 255-character limit. Administrative privileges and a crafted exFAT filesystem are required; exploitation can disable kernel lockdown, load unsigned modules, or panic the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-4273
- Published
- Aug 9, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 14, 2025
- Vendor
- Red Hat
- Product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Classifications
- CWE-121, CWE-787, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 9, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 14, 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?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Kernel lockdown bypass demonstrationfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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