CVE-2023-53176

Kernel code execution via stale PM callback

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux 8250 serial driver allows local users to execute kernel code after a port-specific driver is unbound. serial8250_unregister_port leaves port->pm pointing into the removed driver, so a later TTY hangup calls the stale power-management callback. Exploitation requires local serial-device access and a driver unbind or removal; the demonstrated outcome is a kernel oops, while the stale callback permits kernel memory access and control-flow hijacking.

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 the Linux 8250 serial driver allows local users to execute kernel code after a port-specific driver is unbound. serial8250_unregister_port leaves port->pm pointing into the removed driver, so a later TTY hangup calls the stale power-management callback. Exploitation requires local serial-device access and a driver unbind or removal; the demonstrated outcome is a kernel oops, while the stale callback permits kernel memory access and control-flow hijacking.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53176
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <04e82793f068d2f0ffe62fcea03d007a8cdc16a7
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1ba5594739d858e524ff0f398ee1ebfe0a8b9d41
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2c86a1305c1406f45ea780d06953c484ea1d9e6e
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <490bf37eaabb0a857ed1ae8e75d8854e41662f1c
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8e596aed5f2f98cf3e6e98d6fe1d689f4a319308
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <af4d6dbb1a92ea424ad1ba1d0c88c7fa2345d872
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c9e080c3005fd183c56ff8f4d75edb5da0765d2c
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d5cd2928d31042a7c0a01464f9a8d95be736421d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <04e82793f068d2f0ffe62fcea03d007a8cdc16a7; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1ba5594739d858e524ff0f398ee1ebfe0a8b9d41; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2c86a1305c1406f45ea780d06953c484ea1d9e6e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <490bf37eaabb0a857ed1ae8e75d8854e41662f1c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8e596aed5f2f98cf3e6e98d6fe1d689f4a319308; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <af4d6dbb1a92ea424ad1ba1d0c88c7fa2345d872; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c9e080c3005fd183c56ff8f4d75edb5da0765d2c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d5cd2928d31042a7c0a01464f9a8d95be736421d

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS: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

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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