CVE-2023-53075

Invalid kernel-memory access via ftrace negative indexing

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel ftrace subsystem allows local users to trigger an invalid eight-byte kernel-memory read. lookup_rec() subtracts one from a newly added ftrace page's zero record index and reads pg->records[-1].ip before the first index increment. Reaching the demonstrated module-loading path requires CAP_SYS_MODULE, and published evidence confirms the invalid read rather than a broader outcome.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel ftrace subsystem allows local users to trigger an invalid eight-byte kernel-memory read. lookup_rec() subtracts one from a newly added ftrace page's zero record index and reads pg->records[-1].ip before the first index increment. Reaching the demonstrated module-loading path requires CAP_SYS_MODULE, and published evidence confirms the invalid read rather than a broader outcome.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53075
Published
May 2, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=3.5
  2. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <2a0d71fabfeb349216d33f001a6421b1768bd3a9
  3. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <2de28e5ce34b22b73b833a21e2c45ae3aade3964
  4. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <4f84f31f63416b0f02fc146ffdc4ab32723eb7e8
  5. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <7569ee04b0e3b32df79f64db3a7138573edad9bc
  6. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <83c3b2f4e7c61367c7b24551f4c6eb94bbdda283
  7. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <ac58b88ccbbb8e9fb83e137cee04a856b1ea6635
  8. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <ee92fa443358f4fc0017c1d0d325c27b37802504
  9. Affected versionversion=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <f1bd8b7fd890d87d0dc4dedc6287ea34dd07c0b4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.5; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <2a0d71fabfeb349216d33f001a6421b1768bd3a9; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <2de28e5ce34b22b73b833a21e2c45ae3aade3964; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <4f84f31f63416b0f02fc146ffdc4ab32723eb7e8; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <7569ee04b0e3b32df79f64db3a7138573edad9bc; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <83c3b2f4e7c61367c7b24551f4c6eb94bbdda283; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <ac58b88ccbbb8e9fb83e137cee04a856b1ea6635; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <ee92fa443358f4fc0017c1d0d325c27b37802504; version=9644302e3315e7e36495d230d5ac7125a316d33e <f1bd8b7fd890d87d0dc4dedc6287ea34dd07c0b4

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

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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