CVE-2023-53069

Local service interruption via VF teardown memory leak

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A memory leak in the Linux kernel 5.14 through 6.3-rc3 allows local users to interrupt service through OcteonTX2 VF teardown. The octeontx2 VF cleanup path omits free_percpu for vf->hw.lmt_info, retaining each per-CPU allocation after teardown. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and OcteonTX2 virtual-function hardware; repeated teardown can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the Linux kernel 5.14 through 6.3-rc3 allows local users to interrupt service through OcteonTX2 VF teardown. The octeontx2 VF cleanup path omits free_percpu for vf->hw.lmt_info, retaining each per-CPU allocation after teardown. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and OcteonTX2 virtual-function hardware; repeated teardown can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53069
Published
May 2, 2025
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. May 2, 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=5.14
  2. Affected versionversion=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <813b590840771890c738ce6dbfd0c5938a1bafb9
  3. Affected versionversion=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <840631bcf21f58c0a3f01378a54d79e9ce86b226
  4. Affected versionversion=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <90874b76e5f82eaa3309714d72ff2cd8bb8d1b02
  5. Affected versionversion=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <f038f3917baf04835ba2b7bcf2a04ac93fbf8a9c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14; version=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <813b590840771890c738ce6dbfd0c5938a1bafb9; version=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <840631bcf21f58c0a3f01378a54d79e9ce86b226; version=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <90874b76e5f82eaa3309714d72ff2cd8bb8d1b02; version=5c0512072f6517326d9fba083c4467f173ddd984 <f038f3917baf04835ba2b7bcf2a04ac93fbf8a9c

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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 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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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