CVE-2023-53398

Local kernel compromise via unchecked PTP queue pop

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated Sep 18, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel mlx5 PTP path allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted timestamp traffic. During resynchronization, the FIFO pop path fails to verify consumer and producer indexes before retrieving an SKB from an empty queue. Exploitation requires mlx5 hardware with PTP transmit timestamping; stale SKB access can disclose memory, corrupt the heap, or crash the host.

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

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel mlx5 PTP path allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted timestamp traffic. During resynchronization, the FIFO pop path fails to verify consumer and producer indexes before retrieving an SKB from an empty queue. Exploitation requires mlx5 hardware with PTP transmit timestamping; stale SKB access can disclose memory, corrupt the heap, or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53398
Published
Sep 18, 2025
Updated
Sep 18, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 18, 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=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <3a50cf1e8e5157b82268eee7e330dbe5736a0948
  2. Affected versionversion=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <52e6e7a0bc04c85012a9251c7cf2d444a77eb966
  3. Affected versionversion=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <6afdedc4e66e3846ce497744f01b95c34bf39d21
  4. Affected versionversion=6.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <3a50cf1e8e5157b82268eee7e330dbe5736a0948; version=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <52e6e7a0bc04c85012a9251c7cf2d444a77eb966; version=58a518948f60153e8f6cb8361d2712aa3a1af94a <6afdedc4e66e3846ce497744f01b95c34bf39d21; version=6.0

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CVE TeamCVSS: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.

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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-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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