CVE-2023-53294

Kernel crash via null inode operation dereference

Published Sep 16, 2025 · Updated Sep 16, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux ntfs3 5.15 allows local users to crash the kernel by opening a crafted NTFS inode. ntfs_lookup passes a non-base MFT inode whose i_op pointer was cleared by dir_search_u to d_splice_alias, which dereferences i_op->get_link. The vulnerable path requires local access to an NTFS filesystem containing the malformed record, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux ntfs3 5.15 allows local users to crash the kernel by opening a crafted NTFS inode. ntfs_lookup passes a non-base MFT inode whose i_op pointer was cleared by dir_search_u to d_splice_alias, which dereferences i_op->get_link. The vulnerable path requires local access to an NTFS filesystem containing the malformed record, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53294
Published
Sep 16, 2025
Updated
Sep 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, 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=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <254e69f284d7270e0abdc023ee53b71401c3ba0c
  2. Affected versionversion=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <2ba22cbc6a1cf4b58195adbee0b80262e53992d3
  3. Affected versionversion=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <d69d5e2a81df94534bdb468bcdd26060fcb7191a
  4. Affected versionversion=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <e78240bc4b94fc42854d65e657bb998100cc8e1b
  5. Affected versionversion=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <f8d9e062a695a3665c4635c4f216a75912687598
  6. Affected versionversion=5.15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <254e69f284d7270e0abdc023ee53b71401c3ba0c; version=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <2ba22cbc6a1cf4b58195adbee0b80262e53992d3; version=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <d69d5e2a81df94534bdb468bcdd26060fcb7191a; version=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <e78240bc4b94fc42854d65e657bb998100cc8e1b; version=4342306f0f0d5ff4315a204d315c1b51b914fca5 <f8d9e062a695a3665c4635c4f216a75912687598; version=5.15

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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