CVE-2023-53201

Firmware hang via mailbox producer index overflow

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Improper index handling in the bnxt_re RDMA driver in affected Linux kernels allows local users to hang adapter firmware. The qplib_rcfw mailbox code lets its 32-bit producer index overflow until reserved bit 31 is set again, causing firmware to reenter initialization instead of wrapping at 16 bits. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and sustained mailbox command activity; the reported consequence is an RDMA adapter firmware hang.

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

Improper index handling in the bnxt_re RDMA driver in affected Linux kernels allows local users to hang adapter firmware. The qplib_rcfw mailbox code lets its 32-bit producer index overflow until reserved bit 31 is set again, causing firmware to reenter initialization instead of wrapping at 16 bits. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and sustained mailbox command activity; the reported consequence is an RDMA adapter firmware hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53201
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
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=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <0af91306e17ef3d18e5f100aa58aa787869118af
  2. Affected versionversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <50d77c3739b2b15e9e1f1c9cbe50037d294800f8
  3. Affected versionversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <79226176cdd1b65a1e6a90e0e1a2b490f0a9df33
  4. Affected versionversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <7bfa0303fbc265c94cfbd17505c55b99848aa4e3
  5. Affected versionversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <9341501e2f7af29f5b5562c2840a7fde40eb7de4
  6. Affected versionversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <c9be352be9bb15e6b83e40abc4df7f4776b435ba
  7. Affected versionversion=4.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <0af91306e17ef3d18e5f100aa58aa787869118af; version=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <50d77c3739b2b15e9e1f1c9cbe50037d294800f8; version=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <79226176cdd1b65a1e6a90e0e1a2b490f0a9df33; version=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <7bfa0303fbc265c94cfbd17505c55b99848aa4e3; version=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <9341501e2f7af29f5b5562c2840a7fde40eb7de4; version=1ac5a404797523cedaf424a3aaa3cf8f9548dff8 <c9be352be9bb15e6b83e40abc4df7f4776b435ba; version=4.11

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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