CVE-2023-53235

Kernel crash via freed DRM driver dereference

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.3 DRM KUnit helpers allows local users to crash the kernel during device cleanup. __drm_kunit_helper_alloc_drm_device() leaves the driver KUnit-managed while the DRM device remains device-managed, so cleanup frees the driver before drm_dev_put() dereferences it. Reachability requires execution of the affected DRM KUnit test path with a custom drm_driver; the public record demonstrates a KASAN crash but identifies no production exploit path.

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 6.3 DRM KUnit helpers allows local users to crash the kernel during device cleanup. __drm_kunit_helper_alloc_drm_device() leaves the driver KUnit-managed while the DRM device remains device-managed, so cleanup frees the driver before drm_dev_put() dereferences it. Reachability requires execution of the affected DRM KUnit test path with a custom drm_driver; the public record demonstrates a KASAN crash but identifies no production exploit path.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53235
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
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=6.3
  2. Affected versionversion=d98780310719bf4076d975c2ff65c44c7c0d929e <139a27854bf5ce93ff9805f9f7683b88c13074dc
  3. Affected versionversion=d98780310719bf4076d975c2ff65c44c7c0d929e <c9d8be0e533738b744abb669263c4750d4830009

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=d98780310719bf4076d975c2ff65c44c7c0d929e <139a27854bf5ce93ff9805f9f7683b88c13074dc; version=d98780310719bf4076d975c2ff65c44c7c0d929e <c9d8be0e533738b744abb669263c4750d4830009

Published CVSS scores

7.8UbuntuCVSS: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

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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