CVE-2023-53468

Service interruption via unreleased UBIFS buffers

Published Oct 1, 2025 · Updated Oct 1, 2025

Memory leak in the Linux kernel's UBIFS mount path allows local users to exhaust memory by triggering write-buffer initialization errors. When ubifs_wbuf_init() fails inside the alloc_wbufs() loop, previously allocated wbuf->buf and wbuf->inodes objects remain unreleased. Local access and the ability to initiate a UBIFS mount are required; repeated failing mounts can deplete kernel memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.16%
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 the Linux kernel's UBIFS mount path allows local users to exhaust memory by triggering write-buffer initialization errors. When ubifs_wbuf_init() fails inside the alloc_wbufs() loop, previously allocated wbuf->buf and wbuf->inodes objects remain unreleased. Local access and the ability to initiate a UBIFS mount are required; repeated failing mounts can deplete kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53468
Published
Oct 1, 2025
Updated
Oct 1, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
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=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <1f206002c6bc302bface871ef3f72c0bbcaa931c
  2. Affected versionversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <26ec45f1c504e15268383019df139d7983f1e67f
  3. Affected versionversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <3e29634eb56e6547272fe4e568f63421f8b3b9fa
  4. Affected versionversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <4a1ff3c5d04b9079b4f768d9a71b51c4af578dd2
  5. Affected versionversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <bf50229494f0443b3f08427d7df63e5a7e2a796a
  6. Affected versionversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <e11f36d3bc4d23f620754a948fe7b82b63dcb185
  7. Affected versionversion=2.6.27

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <1f206002c6bc302bface871ef3f72c0bbcaa931c; version=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <26ec45f1c504e15268383019df139d7983f1e67f; version=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <3e29634eb56e6547272fe4e568f63421f8b3b9fa; version=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <4a1ff3c5d04b9079b4f768d9a71b51c4af578dd2; version=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <bf50229494f0443b3f08427d7df63e5a7e2a796a; version=1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d <e11f36d3bc4d23f620754a948fe7b82b63dcb185; version=2.6.27

Published CVSS scores

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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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