CVE-2023-53147

Kernel crash via unchecked XFRM replay-state pointers

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

NULL-pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel via a crafted XFRM NEWAE message. xfrm_new_ae passes replay-state attributes to xfrm_update_ae_params, which copies them through null replay_esn and preplay_esn pointers. Reaching the fault requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN authority; successful exploitation causes a kernel oops and service interruption without reported data disclosure or modification.

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

What happened

NULL-pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel via a crafted XFRM NEWAE message. xfrm_new_ae passes replay-state attributes to xfrm_update_ae_params, which copies them through null replay_esn and preplay_esn pointers. Reaching the fault requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN authority; successful exploitation causes a kernel oops and service interruption without reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53147
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 2025Record 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=2.6.39
  2. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <00374d9b6d9f932802b55181be9831aa948e5b7c
  3. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <075448a2eb753f813fe873cfa52853e9fef8eedb
  4. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <44f69c96f8a147413c23c68cda4d6fb5e23137cd
  5. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <53df4be4f5221e90dc7aa9ce745a9a21bb7024f4
  6. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <8046beb890ebc83c5820188c650073e1c6066e67
  7. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <87b655f4936b6fc01f3658aa88a22c923b379ebd
  8. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <bd30aa9c7febb6e709670cd5154194189ca3b7b5
  9. Affected versionversion=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <ed1cba039309c80b49719fcff3e3d7cdddb73d96

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.39; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <00374d9b6d9f932802b55181be9831aa948e5b7c; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <075448a2eb753f813fe873cfa52853e9fef8eedb; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <44f69c96f8a147413c23c68cda4d6fb5e23137cd; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <53df4be4f5221e90dc7aa9ce745a9a21bb7024f4; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <8046beb890ebc83c5820188c650073e1c6066e67; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <87b655f4936b6fc01f3658aa88a22c923b379ebd; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <bd30aa9c7febb6e709670cd5154194189ca3b7b5; version=d8647b79c3b7e223ac051439d165bc8e7bbb832f <ed1cba039309c80b49719fcff3e3d7cdddb73d96

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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-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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