CVE-2023-52560

Memory exhaustion via leaked DAMON test allocations

Published Mar 2, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leakage in affected Linux kernels allows local users to consume kernel memory by running the DAMON virtual-address KUnit test. damon_do_test_apply_three_regions allocates DAMON targets and regions but fails to call damon_destroy_target after each test. Repeated runs can exhaust memory and interrupt service, but reachability requires a local user and a kernel built with the DAMON VADDR KUnit test.

CVSS severity5.5
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

Memory leakage in affected Linux kernels allows local users to consume kernel memory by running the DAMON virtual-address KUnit test. damon_do_test_apply_three_regions allocates DAMON targets and regions but fails to call damon_destroy_target after each test. Repeated runs can exhaust memory and interrupt service, but reachability requires a local user and a kernel built with the DAMON VADDR KUnit test.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52560
Published
Mar 2, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.16
  2. Affected versionversion=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <45120b15743fa7c0aa53d5db6dfb4c8f87be4abd
  3. Affected versionversion=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <6b522001693aa113d97a985abc5f6932972e8e86
  4. Affected versionversion=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <9a4fe81a8644b717d57d81ce5849e16583b13fe8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.16; version=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <45120b15743fa7c0aa53d5db6dfb4c8f87be4abd; version=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <6b522001693aa113d97a985abc5f6932972e8e86; version=9f86d624292c238203b3687cdb870a2cde1a6f9b <9a4fe81a8644b717d57d81ce5849e16583b13fe8

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
3.3OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

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Your stack

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