CVE-2023-53091

Local system crash via ext4 journal replay

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026

A NULL pointer dereference in the ext4 subsystem of Linux allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted filesystem image. During journal replay, a modified s_journal_inum value bypasses ext4_get_journal checks and leaves a NULL journal pointer that is later dereferenced. Exploitation requires local privileges sufficient to mount an attacker-controlled ext4 image, and the documented consequence is an availability-only system crash.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A NULL pointer dereference in the ext4 subsystem of Linux allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted filesystem image. During journal replay, a modified s_journal_inum value bypasses ext4_get_journal checks and leaves a NULL journal pointer that is later dereferenced. Exploitation requires local privileges sufficient to mount an attacker-controlled ext4 image, and the documented consequence is an availability-only system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53091
Published
May 2, 2025
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 2, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 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=2fd4629de51974002f4e9cf1a35a1926dd6c9d99
  2. Affected versionversion=3.16.85 <3.17
  3. Affected versionversion=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <3039d8b8692408438a618fac2776b629852663c3
  4. Affected versionversion=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <499fef2030fb754c68b1c7cb3a799a3bc1d0d925
  5. Affected versionversion=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <70e66bdeae4d0f7c8e87762f425b68aedd5e8955
  6. Affected versionversion=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <ee0c5277d4fab920bd31345c49e193ecede9ecef
  7. Affected versionversion=4.14.178 <4.15
  8. Affected versionversion=4.19.73 <4.20
  9. Affected versionversion=4.4.221 <4.5
  10. Affected versionversion=4.9.221 <4.10
  11. Affected versionversion=51890201da4d654f6ca131bc45a0e892bb10de1d
  12. Affected versionversion=5.2
  13. Affected versionversion=795762468125a6412c089651e74f780bee154118
  14. Affected versionversion=7eff961ca9f364be255d279346517ba0158ec8e3
  15. Affected versionversion=a9855260fe8d8680bf8c4f0d8303b696c861e99b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2fd4629de51974002f4e9cf1a35a1926dd6c9d99; version=3.16.85 <3.17; version=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <3039d8b8692408438a618fac2776b629852663c3; version=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <499fef2030fb754c68b1c7cb3a799a3bc1d0d925; version=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <70e66bdeae4d0f7c8e87762f425b68aedd5e8955; version=345c0dbf3a30872d9b204db96b5857cd00808cae <ee0c5277d4fab920bd31345c49e193ecede9ecef; version=4.14.178 <4.15; version=4.19.73 <4.20; version=4.4.221 <4.5; version=4.9.221 <4.10; version=51890201da4d654f6ca131bc45a0e892bb10de1d; version=5.2; version=795762468125a6412c089651e74f780bee154118; version=7eff961ca9f364be255d279346517ba0158ec8e3; version=a9855260fe8d8680bf8c4f0d8303b696c861e99b

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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