CVE-2023-53028

Kernel crash via mac80211 double-free

Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Double-free in mac80211 in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel during interface creation. An ieee80211_if_add() error path calls ieee80211_if_free() before free_netdev() invokes the same function again through priv_destructor. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and creation of a mac80211 interface that fails registration; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double-free in mac80211 in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel during interface creation. An ieee80211_if_add() error path calls ieee80211_if_free() before free_netdev() invokes the same function again through priv_destructor. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and creation of a mac80211 interface that fails registration; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53028
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 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. Aug 5, 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=13e5afd3d773c6fc6ca2b89027befaaaa1ea7293 <80f8a66dede0a4b4e9e846765a97809c6fe49ce5
  2. Affected versionversion=147537737a3c83e07a5295de38424c21d354d2a4
  3. Affected versionversion=2e32f1299814e8aa2e75aa58704543a36ea3e201 <982c8b1e95c088f5d8f65967ec25be66e961401c
  4. Affected versionversion=5.10.163 <5.10.165
  5. Affected versionversion=5.15.86 <5.15.90
  6. Affected versionversion=6.0.16 <6.1
  7. Affected versionversion=6.1.2 <6.1.8
  8. Affected versionversion=9a50a7f64243bd21a84353c371f3977b9ffd9fa5 <effecd8d116d3d3a28b4f628e61bba8d318fdfcf
  9. Affected versionversion=b2c0b94f48373ee743a4d63825a9d52364418837 <71e5cd1018d345e649e63f74a56c1897f99db7e9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=13e5afd3d773c6fc6ca2b89027befaaaa1ea7293 <80f8a66dede0a4b4e9e846765a97809c6fe49ce5; version=147537737a3c83e07a5295de38424c21d354d2a4; version=2e32f1299814e8aa2e75aa58704543a36ea3e201 <982c8b1e95c088f5d8f65967ec25be66e961401c; version=5.10.163 <5.10.165; version=5.15.86 <5.15.90; version=6.0.16 <6.1; version=6.1.2 <6.1.8; version=9a50a7f64243bd21a84353c371f3977b9ffd9fa5 <effecd8d116d3d3a28b4f628e61bba8d318fdfcf; version=b2c0b94f48373ee743a4d63825a9d52364418837 <71e5cd1018d345e649e63f74a56c1897f99db7e9

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS: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.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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