CVE-2023-53285Public exploit

Memory disclosure and crash via unbounded xattr walk

Published Sep 16, 2025 · Updated Sep 16, 2025

An out-of-bounds read in the ext4 inline-data path in Linux allows local users to read adjacent kernel memory or crash the system. get_max_inline_xattr_value_size() follows inline inode xattr entries without verifying that the next entry remains inside the allocated inode buffer. Reachability requires a crafted ext4 image or write access to an underlying block device while its filesystem is mounted, followed by a file write through the local VFS path.

CVSS severity7.1
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

An out-of-bounds read in the ext4 inline-data path in Linux allows local users to read adjacent kernel memory or crash the system. get_max_inline_xattr_value_size() follows inline inode xattr entries without verifying that the next entry remains inside the allocated inode buffer. Reachability requires a crafted ext4 image or write access to an underlying block device while its filesystem is mounted, followed by a file write through the local VFS path.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53285
Published
Sep 16, 2025
Updated
Sep 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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 <1d2caddbeeee56fbbc36b428c5b909c3ad88eb7f
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2220eaf90992c11d888fe771055d4de330385f01
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3d7b8fbcd2273e2b9f4c6de5ce2f4c0cd3cb1205
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4597554b4f7b29e7fd78aa449bab648f8da4ee2c
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <486efbbc9445dca7890a1b86adbccb88b91284b0
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a229d21b98d132673096710e8281ef522dab1d1
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <88a06a94942c5c0a896e9da1113a6bb29e36cbef
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e780058bd75614b66882bc02620ddbd884171560
  9. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f22b274429e88d3dc7e79d375b56ce4f2f59f0b4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1d2caddbeeee56fbbc36b428c5b909c3ad88eb7f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2220eaf90992c11d888fe771055d4de330385f01; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3d7b8fbcd2273e2b9f4c6de5ce2f4c0cd3cb1205; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4597554b4f7b29e7fd78aa449bab648f8da4ee2c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <486efbbc9445dca7890a1b86adbccb88b91284b0; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a229d21b98d132673096710e8281ef522dab1d1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <88a06a94942c5c0a896e9da1113a6bb29e36cbef; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e780058bd75614b66882bc02620ddbd884171560; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f22b274429e88d3dc7e79d375b56ce4f2f59f0b4

Published CVSS scores

7.8CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1LinuxCVSS: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

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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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