CVE-2023-53426

Local privilege escalation via stale xsk_diag device pointer

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated Sep 18, 2025

Use-after-free in Linux kernel AF_XDP diagnostics allows local users to escalate privileges through a stale net_device pointer. xsk_diag tests xs->dev after unbinding instead of checking the XSK_UNBOUND state, causing a diagnostic dump to dereference a freed net_device. A low-privilege user must bind an AF_XDP socket, remove its network device, and request a NETLINK_SOCK_DIAG dump; consequences include kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

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 Linux kernel AF_XDP diagnostics allows local users to escalate privileges through a stale net_device pointer. xsk_diag tests xs->dev after unbinding instead of checking the XSK_UNBOUND state, causing a diagnostic dump to dereference a freed net_device. A low-privilege user must bind an AF_XDP socket, remove its network device, and request a NETLINK_SOCK_DIAG dump; consequences include kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53426
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=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <3e019d8a05a38abb5c85d4f1e85fda964610aa14
  2. Affected versionversion=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <595931912357fa3507e522a7f8a0a76e423c23e4
  3. Affected versionversion=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <6436973164ea5506a495f39e56be5aea375e7832
  4. Affected versionversion=5.18
  5. Affected versionversion=8a2dea162b92c322f3e42eae0c4a74b8d20aa7a9
  6. Affected versionversion=ad7219cd8751bd258b9d1e69ae0654ec00f71875 <5979985f2d6b565b6cf0f79a62670a2855c0e96c
  7. Affected versionversion=d1579253ffce39986e7a6ab757ac93b2680a665f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <3e019d8a05a38abb5c85d4f1e85fda964610aa14; version=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <595931912357fa3507e522a7f8a0a76e423c23e4; version=18b1ab7aa76bde181bdb1ab19a87fa9523c32f21 <6436973164ea5506a495f39e56be5aea375e7832; version=5.18; version=8a2dea162b92c322f3e42eae0c4a74b8d20aa7a9; version=ad7219cd8751bd258b9d1e69ae0654ec00f71875 <5979985f2d6b565b6cf0f79a62670a2855c0e96c; version=d1579253ffce39986e7a6ab757ac93b2680a665f

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 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-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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