CVE-2023-53216

Kernel fault via sleepable EFI runtime lock

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Incorrect synchronization in affected Linux kernels allows local users to trigger a kernel fault during arm64 EFI runtime-service calls. On PREEMPT_RT, efi_rt_lock becomes a sleepable rtmutex even though efi_call_rts takes it after preemption is disabled for a translation-table switch, causing a sleeping operation in atomic context. The affected path requires an arm64 PREEMPT_RT kernel and an EFI runtime-service call; the published trace demonstrates a kernel BUG warning, not a confirmed crash or data compromise.

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

Incorrect synchronization in affected Linux kernels allows local users to trigger a kernel fault during arm64 EFI runtime-service calls. On PREEMPT_RT, efi_rt_lock becomes a sleepable rtmutex even though efi_call_rts takes it after preemption is disabled for a translation-table switch, causing a sleeping operation in atomic context. The affected path requires an arm64 PREEMPT_RT kernel and an EFI runtime-service call; the published trace demonstrates a kernel BUG warning, not a confirmed crash or data compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53216
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
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=4012603cbd469223f225637d265a233f034c567a <030b1c4217a4f504c7d0795a2bd86b7181e56f11
  2. Affected versionversion=6.2
  3. Affected versionversion=de2af657cab92afc13a4ccd8780370481ed0eb61 <6a72729ed6accc86dad5522895e8fa2f96642a2c
  4. Affected versionversion=f75a91c82dc805af8f718ff106ec9c090234b37b <8b38969fa01662ec539a0d08a8ea5ec6f31fa4ed
  5. Affected versionversion=ff7a167961d1b97e0e205f245f806e564d3505e7 <0e68b5517d3767562889f1d83fdb828c26adb24f
  6. Affected versionversion=ff7a167961d1b97e0e205f245f806e564d3505e7 <4e8f7d998b582a99aadedd07ae6086e99b89c97a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4012603cbd469223f225637d265a233f034c567a <030b1c4217a4f504c7d0795a2bd86b7181e56f11; version=6.2; version=de2af657cab92afc13a4ccd8780370481ed0eb61 <6a72729ed6accc86dad5522895e8fa2f96642a2c; version=f75a91c82dc805af8f718ff106ec9c090234b37b <8b38969fa01662ec539a0d08a8ea5ec6f31fa4ed; version=ff7a167961d1b97e0e205f245f806e564d3505e7 <0e68b5517d3767562889f1d83fdb828c26adb24f; version=ff7a167961d1b97e0e205f245f806e564d3505e7 <4e8f7d998b582a99aadedd07ae6086e99b89c97a

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS: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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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