CVE-2023-53455

Local display interruption via retained modeset locks

Published Oct 1, 2025 · Updated Oct 1, 2025

A deadlock-handling flaw in Linux kernel 6.1 through 6.1.15 and 6.2 through 6.2.2 allows local users to interrupt display service. When vc4_hdmi_reset_link returns -EDEADLK, the VC4 HDMI reset path retains its DRM modeset locks instead of invoking drm_modeset_backoff to drop them and wait for the contended lock. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an active VC4 display stack, and the documented consequence is display-service interruption rather than data access or modification.

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

A deadlock-handling flaw in Linux kernel 6.1 through 6.1.15 and 6.2 through 6.2.2 allows local users to interrupt display service. When vc4_hdmi_reset_link returns -EDEADLK, the VC4 HDMI reset path retains its DRM modeset locks instead of invoking drm_modeset_backoff to drop them and wait for the contended lock. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an active VC4 display stack, and the documented consequence is display-service interruption rather than data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53455
Published
Oct 1, 2025
Updated
Oct 1, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=6.1
  2. Affected versionversion=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <41286a53e7f54202fd277cd516724de3ab7497c7
  3. Affected versionversion=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <479d4f0be4237ba33bc9432787aeb62c90e30f95
  4. Affected versionversion=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <f483eda89a2e717daa7b15c8ca228a209f65617b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.1; version=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <41286a53e7f54202fd277cd516724de3ab7497c7; version=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <479d4f0be4237ba33bc9432787aeb62c90e30f95; version=6bed2ea3cb3856edf37cca20753e689ee8774793 <f483eda89a2e717daa7b15c8ca228a209f65617b

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5UbuntuCVSS: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

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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