CVE-2023-53101

Kernel warning via stale ext4 i_disksize

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper bootloader-inode initialization in Linux 3.10 through 6.3-rc1 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning through ext4. The EXT4_IOC_SWAP_BOOT initialization path clears i_size but leaves a preexisting nonzero i_disksize, so a later direct write reaches an invariant check in ext4_file_write_iter. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, a mounted corrupted ext4 image, and use of the ioctl; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel warning during write.

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

Improper bootloader-inode initialization in Linux 3.10 through 6.3-rc1 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning through ext4. The EXT4_IOC_SWAP_BOOT initialization path clears i_size but leaves a preexisting nonzero i_disksize, so a later direct write reaches an invariant check in ext4_file_write_iter. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, a mounted corrupted ext4 image, and use of the ioctl; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel warning during write.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53101
Published
May 2, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
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=3.10
  2. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <01a821aacc64d4b05dafd239dbc9b7856686002f
  3. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <0d8a6c9a6415999fee1259ccf1796480c026b7d6
  4. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <3f00c476da8fe7c4c34ea16abb55d74127120413
  5. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <59eee0cdf8c036f554add97a4da7c06d7a9ff34a
  6. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <9cb27b1e76f0cc886ac09055bc41c0ab3f205167
  7. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <9e9a4cc5486356158554f6ad73027d8635a48b34
  8. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <d6c1447e483c05dbcfb3ff77ac04237a82070b8c
  9. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <f5361da1e60d54ec81346aee8e3d8baf1be0b762

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.10; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <01a821aacc64d4b05dafd239dbc9b7856686002f; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <0d8a6c9a6415999fee1259ccf1796480c026b7d6; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <3f00c476da8fe7c4c34ea16abb55d74127120413; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <59eee0cdf8c036f554add97a4da7c06d7a9ff34a; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <9cb27b1e76f0cc886ac09055bc41c0ab3f205167; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <9e9a4cc5486356158554f6ad73027d8635a48b34; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <d6c1447e483c05dbcfb3ff77ac04237a82070b8c; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <f5361da1e60d54ec81346aee8e3d8baf1be0b762

Published CVSS scores

4.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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