CVE-2023-53451

Kernel crash via unchecked qla2xxx cur_dsd dereference

Published Oct 1, 2025 · Updated Oct 1, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux qla2xxx allows local users to crash the kernel when the driver builds SCSI I/O descriptors. The qla_iocb.c path can leave cur_dsd null and then write a terminating descriptor through it without validating the pointer. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and an active qla2xxx-backed SCSI I/O path; the reported consequence is service interruption.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux qla2xxx allows local users to crash the kernel when the driver builds SCSI I/O descriptors. The qla_iocb.c path can leave cur_dsd null and then write a terminating descriptor through it without validating the pointer. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and an active qla2xxx-backed SCSI I/O path; the reported consequence is service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53451
Published
Oct 1, 2025
Updated
Oct 1, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 1, 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 <02405f4023866ae91a611b5b85cb2e074ec2de5a
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2bea9c1c983152c5411f5a2f1113cb790ce1389d
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <464ea494a40c6e3e0e8f91dd325408aaf21515ba
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4f90a8b0481615622bd0558aa8cf361bea872045
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a52a2e14fe866541bbc0033058e44bf0bf0c580
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <af7affc0f6b82a5bde430fc4f0dcf70963442fbc
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ce2cdbe530b0066bae1f98dbab590a232d507eaa
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ee4c9a93238b9ce3703942500cb1aeacf77090d2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <02405f4023866ae91a611b5b85cb2e074ec2de5a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2bea9c1c983152c5411f5a2f1113cb790ce1389d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <464ea494a40c6e3e0e8f91dd325408aaf21515ba; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4f90a8b0481615622bd0558aa8cf361bea872045; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a52a2e14fe866541bbc0033058e44bf0bf0c580; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <af7affc0f6b82a5bde430fc4f0dcf70963442fbc; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ce2cdbe530b0066bae1f98dbab590a232d507eaa; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ee4c9a93238b9ce3703942500cb1aeacf77090d2

Published CVSS scores

6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5SUSECVSS: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 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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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