CVE-2023-53419

Kernel crash via unlocked RCU task-list access

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated Sep 18, 2025

NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU allows local users to crash the kernel via an RCU task-list race. rcu_print_task_exp_stall reads rcu_node->exp_tasks without holding the node lock, allowing another CPU to clear the pointer before list_entry dereferences it. Triggering the failure requires local low-privileged access, the affected kernel configuration, and the concurrent expedited-stall sequence; the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU allows local users to crash the kernel via an RCU task-list race. rcu_print_task_exp_stall reads rcu_node->exp_tasks without holding the node lock, allowing another CPU to clear the pointer before list_entry dereferences it. Triggering the failure requires local low-privileged access, the affected kernel configuration, and the concurrent expedited-stall sequence; the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53419
Published
Sep 18, 2025
Updated
Sep 18, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
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 <2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d0a8c0e31a09ec1efd53079083e2a677956b4d91
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e30a55e98ae6c44253d8b129efefd5da5bc6e3bc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d0a8c0e31a09ec1efd53079083e2a677956b4d91; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e30a55e98ae6c44253d8b129efefd5da5bc6e3bc

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS: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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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