CVE-2023-53106

Local kernel memory corruption via driver removal race

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel ST NCI NFC driver from 3.17 allows local users to corrupt memory by racing driver removal. ndlc_remove frees ndlc->ndev without first canceling sm_work, so llt_ndlc_sm_work can pass the freed pointer to nci_recv_frame. Triggering the race requires local access to remove an ST NCI I2C or SPI driver while receive or timeout work is pending, exposing kernel memory corruption with confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

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 ST NCI NFC driver from 3.17 allows local users to corrupt memory by racing driver removal. ndlc_remove frees ndlc->ndev without first canceling sm_work, so llt_ndlc_sm_work can pass the freed pointer to nci_recv_frame. Triggering the race requires local access to remove an ST NCI I2C or SPI driver while receive or timeout work is pending, exposing kernel memory corruption with confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53106
Published
May 2, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
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=3.17
  2. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <2156490c4b7cacda9a18ec99929940b8376dc0e3
  3. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <3405eb641dafcc8b28d174784b203c1622c121bf
  4. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <43aa468df246175207a7d5d7d6d31b231f15b49c
  5. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <5000fe6c27827a61d8250a7e4a1d26c3298ef4f6
  6. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <5e331022b448fbc5e76f24349cd0246844dcad25
  7. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <84dd9cc34014e3a3dcce0eb6d54b8a067e97676b
  8. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <b0c202a8dc63008205a5d546559736507a9aae66
  9. Affected versionversion=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <f589e5b56c562d99ea74e05b1c3f0eab78aa17a3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.17; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <2156490c4b7cacda9a18ec99929940b8376dc0e3; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <3405eb641dafcc8b28d174784b203c1622c121bf; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <43aa468df246175207a7d5d7d6d31b231f15b49c; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <5000fe6c27827a61d8250a7e4a1d26c3298ef4f6; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <5e331022b448fbc5e76f24349cd0246844dcad25; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <84dd9cc34014e3a3dcce0eb6d54b8a067e97676b; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <b0c202a8dc63008205a5d546559736507a9aae66; version=35630df68d6030daf12dde12ed07bbe26324e6ac <f589e5b56c562d99ea74e05b1c3f0eab78aa17a3

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CanonicalCVSS: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
Privilegesauthenticated
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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