CVE-2023-53254

Kernel memory exposure or crash via cache-index mismatch

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Out-of-bounds access in Linux kernel 3.19 through 6.1.17 and 6.2 through 6.2.4 allows local users to crash the kernel or read memory. The cacheinfo shared_cpu_map builder compares equal cache indexes across CPUs, so a shorter or differently indexed hierarchy drives a slab access past the cache array. Local access is required, and exposure depends on CPUs whose cache levels differ or whose shared cache occupies different indexes.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds access in Linux kernel 3.19 through 6.1.17 and 6.2 through 6.2.4 allows local users to crash the kernel or read memory. The cacheinfo shared_cpu_map builder compares equal cache indexes across CPUs, so a shorter or differently indexed hierarchy drives a slab access past the cache array. Local access is required, and exposure depends on CPUs whose cache levels differ or whose shared cache occupies different indexes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53254
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-125
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 <198102c9103fc78d8478495971947af77edb05c1
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2f588d0345d69a35e451077afed428fd057a5e34
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dea49f2993f57d8a2df2cacb0bf649ef49b28879

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <198102c9103fc78d8478495971947af77edb05c1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2f588d0345d69a35e451077afed428fd057a5e34; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dea49f2993f57d8a2df2cacb0bf649ef49b28879

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
7.1CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read

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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