CVE-2023-53331

Kernel memory corruption via unchecked pstore offset

Published Sep 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Out-of-bounds write in Linux pstore/ram allows local users to corrupt kernel memory or crash the system through a malformed persistent-RAM header. Initialization accepts an empty persistent_ram_zone when its size is zero without verifying that its start offset is also zero, so a later write uses an offset beyond the logical buffer. Reachability requires the pstore RAM backend and an empty header with a valid signature, zero size, and nonzero start; a subsequent console or pmsg write can overwrite adjacent memory or panic the kernel.

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

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in Linux pstore/ram allows local users to corrupt kernel memory or crash the system through a malformed persistent-RAM header. Initialization accepts an empty persistent_ram_zone when its size is zero without verifying that its start offset is also zero, so a later write uses an offset beyond the logical buffer. Reachability requires the pstore RAM backend and an empty header with a valid signature, zero size, and nonzero start; a subsequent console or pmsg write can overwrite adjacent memory or panic the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53331
Published
Sep 16, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-787, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=265242d82a3c6a8bd9120d06b4801f8d7ae9a346 <c807ccdd812d18985860504b503899f3140a9549
  2. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <25fb4e3402d46f425ec135ef6f09792a4c1b3003
  3. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <dc2f60de9a7d3efd982440117dab5579898d808c
  4. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <e95d7a8a6edd14f8fab44c777dd7281db91f6ae2
  5. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <e972231db29b5d1dccc13bf9d5ba55b6979a69ed
  6. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <f77990358628b01bdc03752126ff5f716ea37615
  7. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <fe8c3623ab06603eb760444a032d426542212021
  8. Affected versionversion=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <fedecaeef88899d940b69368c996e8b3b0b8650d
  9. Affected versionversion=3.18.133 <3.19
  10. Affected versionversion=4.14.96 <4.14.326
  11. Affected versionversion=4.19.18 <4.19.295
  12. Affected versionversion=4.20.5 <4.21
  13. Affected versionversion=4.4.172 <4.5
  14. Affected versionversion=4.9.153 <4.10
  15. Affected versionversion=5.0
  16. Affected versionversion=9e969ba431b46b1891c88cea36f722f3bfe8a180
  17. Affected versionversion=e1e3a46706bd4037e8b7407dc660ae6e05b8ac56 <89312657337e6e03ad6e9ea1a462bd9c158c85c8
  18. Affected versionversion=ec7f99261da9a20d63cbd273511a11a2efe698f2
  19. Affected versionversion=f250e4c562a3bd106575032666e9ef46f31231f8
  20. Affected versionversion=fffdbf586866e9500b53c9d4b061d3983720375a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=265242d82a3c6a8bd9120d06b4801f8d7ae9a346 <c807ccdd812d18985860504b503899f3140a9549; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <25fb4e3402d46f425ec135ef6f09792a4c1b3003; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <dc2f60de9a7d3efd982440117dab5579898d808c; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <e95d7a8a6edd14f8fab44c777dd7281db91f6ae2; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <e972231db29b5d1dccc13bf9d5ba55b6979a69ed; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <f77990358628b01bdc03752126ff5f716ea37615; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <fe8c3623ab06603eb760444a032d426542212021; version=30696378f68a9e3dad6bfe55938b112e72af00c2 <fedecaeef88899d940b69368c996e8b3b0b8650d; version=3.18.133 <3.19; version=4.14.96 <4.14.326; version=4.19.18 <4.19.295; version=4.20.5 <4.21; version=4.4.172 <4.5; version=4.9.153 <4.10; version=5.0; version=9e969ba431b46b1891c88cea36f722f3bfe8a180; version=e1e3a46706bd4037e8b7407dc660ae6e05b8ac56 <89312657337e6e03ad6e9ea1a462bd9c158c85c8; version=ec7f99261da9a20d63cbd273511a11a2efe698f2; version=f250e4c562a3bd106575032666e9ef46f31231f8; version=fffdbf586866e9500b53c9d4b061d3983720375a

Published CVSS scores

7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo