CVE-2023-53253

Kernel memory corruption via freed input name

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel 6.5 through 6.5.2 allows attackers to access freed memory during NVIDIA SHIELD device teardown. The HID driver allocates the input-device name against the input device, so unregistration frees the name before a later uevent reads it. The NVIDIA SHIELD HID driver and a device-unregistration event must be present; the stale access can expose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
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 kernel 6.5 through 6.5.2 allows attackers to access freed memory during NVIDIA SHIELD device teardown. The HID driver allocates the input-device name against the input device, so unregistration frees the name before a later uevent reads it. The NVIDIA SHIELD HID driver and a device-unregistration event must be present; the stale access can expose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53253
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=09308562d4afb1abc66366608fa1cb9de783272f <197d3143520fec9fde89aebabc9f0d7464f08e50
  2. Affected versionversion=09308562d4afb1abc66366608fa1cb9de783272f <b85d3807e5ec368bfd5b20245347d7c1434aff76
  3. Affected versionversion=6.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=09308562d4afb1abc66366608fa1cb9de783272f <197d3143520fec9fde89aebabc9f0d7464f08e50; version=09308562d4afb1abc66366608fa1cb9de783272f <b85d3807e5ec368bfd5b20245347d7c1434aff76; version=6.5

Published CVSS scores

8.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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

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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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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