CVE-2023-53408

Kernel memory exhaustion via unreleased debugfs reference

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated Sep 18, 2025

Memory leak in affected Linux kernel blktrace versions allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated trace removal. In kernel/trace/blktrace.c, the removal path calls debugfs_lookup() without releasing the returned dentry reference with dput(), retaining memory after each lookup. Repeated access to the local trace-removal path progressively depletes memory and interrupts host availability without confidentiality or integrity impact.

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

Memory leak in affected Linux kernel blktrace versions allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated trace removal. In kernel/trace/blktrace.c, the removal path calls debugfs_lookup() without releasing the returned dentry reference with dput(), retaining memory after each lookup. Repeated access to the local trace-removal path progressively depletes memory and interrupts host availability without confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53408
Published
Sep 18, 2025
Updated
Sep 18, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.001
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3036f5f5ae5210797d95446795df01c1249af9ad
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5286b72fb425291af5f4ca7285d73c16a08d8691
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <83e8864fee26f63a7435e941b7c36a20fd6fe93e
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a2e4b48d6f9b39aa19bafe223f9dd436a692fc80

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3036f5f5ae5210797d95446795df01c1249af9ad; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5286b72fb425291af5f4ca7285d73c16a08d8691; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <83e8864fee26f63a7435e941b7c36a20fd6fe93e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a2e4b48d6f9b39aa19bafe223f9dd436a692fc80

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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 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
T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

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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