CVE-2023-53004Public exploit

Service interruption via OverlayFS tmpfile leak

Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in Linux kernel OverlayFS 6.1 through 6.1.8 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by triggering tmpfile errors. The ovl_copy_up_tmpfile error path fails to release the file object returned by vfs_tmpfile_open when a later operation fails. A local low-privileged user must access an OverlayFS mount and repeatedly force the error path; sustained triggering can interrupt service through memory exhaustion.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in Linux kernel OverlayFS 6.1 through 6.1.8 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by triggering tmpfile errors. The ovl_copy_up_tmpfile error path fails to release the file object returned by vfs_tmpfile_open when a later operation fails. A local low-privileged user must access an OverlayFS mount and repeatedly force the error path; sustained triggering can interrupt service through memory exhaustion.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53004
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2025CVE 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=2b1a77461f1602f870d6fe61fc65610bb8c8dd05 <baabaa505563362b71f2637aedd7b807d270656c
  2. Affected versionversion=2b1a77461f1602f870d6fe61fc65610bb8c8dd05 <caa0ea92503f8afa1941f6ac899e5c4e3f6ec8bb
  3. Affected versionversion=6.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2b1a77461f1602f870d6fe61fc65610bb8c8dd05 <baabaa505563362b71f2637aedd7b807d270656c; version=2b1a77461f1602f870d6fe61fc65610bb8c8dd05 <caa0ea92503f8afa1941f6ac899e5c4e3f6ec8bb; version=6.1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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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