CVE-2023-53153

Local memory corruption via stale WEXT key pointer

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Use-after-free in Linux kernel cfg80211 2.6.32 through 6.2.2 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via WEXT reconnection. cfg80211_sme_connect() leaves wext.connect key data populated after a connection attempt, so a later WEXT reconnect is misclassified as WEP and dereferences freed or reused key memory. Reachability requires local low-privilege access to initiate wireless-extension connection requests through a cfg80211-backed Wi-Fi driver; the stale pointer allows memory disclosure, alteration, or a host crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in Linux kernel cfg80211 2.6.32 through 6.2.2 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via WEXT reconnection. cfg80211_sme_connect() leaves wext.connect key data populated after a connection attempt, so a later WEXT reconnect is misclassified as WEP and dereferences freed or reused key memory. Reachability requires local low-privilege access to initiate wireless-extension connection requests through a cfg80211-backed Wi-Fi driver; the stale pointer allows memory disclosure, alteration, or a host crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53153
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=2.6.32
  2. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <015b8cc5e7c4d7bb671f1984d7b7338c310b185b
  3. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <22dfb21bf1cd876616d45cda1bc6daa89eec6747
  4. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <2cfe78619b0de6d2da773978bc2d22797212eaa7
  5. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <66af4a2ab1d65d556d638cb9555a3b823c2557a9
  6. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <6f1959c17d4cb5b74af6fc31dc787e1dc3e4f6e2
  7. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <a2a92b3e9d8e03ee3f9ee407fc46a9b4bd02d8b6
  8. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <f4b6a138efb8a32507b8946104e32cb926308da7
  9. Affected versionversion=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <fd081afd21eb35b968b0330700c43ec94986e1c4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.32; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <015b8cc5e7c4d7bb671f1984d7b7338c310b185b; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <22dfb21bf1cd876616d45cda1bc6daa89eec6747; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <2cfe78619b0de6d2da773978bc2d22797212eaa7; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <66af4a2ab1d65d556d638cb9555a3b823c2557a9; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <6f1959c17d4cb5b74af6fc31dc787e1dc3e4f6e2; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <a2a92b3e9d8e03ee3f9ee407fc46a9b4bd02d8b6; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <f4b6a138efb8a32507b8946104e32cb926308da7; version=fffd0934b9390f34bec45762192b7edd3b12b4b5 <fd081afd21eb35b968b0330700c43ec94986e1c4

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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