CVE-2023-53346

Kernel memory exhaustion via unreleased debugfs dentry

Published Sep 17, 2025 · Updated Sep 17, 2025

Memory leak in fail_function in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated error-injection changes. The fei_debugfs_remove_attr() path passes a dentry returned by debugfs_lookup() to debugfs_remove() without the required dput(), retaining a reference after removal. Access to the local fault-injection interface is required; repeatedly removing injected-function entries accumulates references and can interrupt the system.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in fail_function in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated error-injection changes. The fei_debugfs_remove_attr() path passes a dentry returned by debugfs_lookup() to debugfs_remove() without the required dput(), retaining a reference after removal. Access to the local fault-injection interface is required; repeatedly removing injected-function entries accumulates references and can interrupt the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53346
Published
Sep 17, 2025
Updated
Sep 17, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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 <29d53c4c5a6f6d2b93aaac95b65cb4c907faf2ff
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2bb3669f576559db273efe49e0e69f82450efbca
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <94f68f3e059c478e240f65fcb64746fe371295df
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bb99db06b8b6ce9351633fc61bec9919d8f6f52b
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd9981a11d74ff2eb253bb5c459876f8bd3c6c36
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f6d3aee1c66358471275df9dddd480010f061b0e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <29d53c4c5a6f6d2b93aaac95b65cb4c907faf2ff; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2bb3669f576559db273efe49e0e69f82450efbca; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <94f68f3e059c478e240f65fcb64746fe371295df; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bb99db06b8b6ce9351633fc61bec9919d8f6f52b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd9981a11d74ff2eb253bb5c459876f8bd3c6c36; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f6d3aee1c66358471275df9dddd480010f061b0e

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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

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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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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

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Your stack

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