Kernel memory corruption via unsynchronized last_cmd access
Published Oct 1, 2025 · Updated Oct 1, 2025
Race condition in the Linux kernel allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through concurrent synthetic-events control writes. Concurrent create_or_delete_synth_event calls access and free the shared last_cmd buffer without mutual exclusion, causing a double-free or use-after-free. Access requires permission to write the tracefs synthetic_events or dynamic_events node; successful exploitation can disclose kernel heap data, alter kernel memory, or crash the host.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in the Linux kernel allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through concurrent synthetic-events control writes. Concurrent create_or_delete_synth_event calls access and free the shared last_cmd buffer without mutual exclusion, causing a double-free or use-after-free. Access requires permission to write the tracefs synthetic_events or dynamic_events node; successful exploitation can disclose kernel heap data, alter kernel memory, or crash the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-53478
- Published
- Oct 1, 2025
- Updated
- Oct 1, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=27c888da9867725784bad3d6455d6e53b425fa2b <4ccf11c4e8a8e051499d53a12f502196c97a758e
- Affected versionversion=27c888da9867725784bad3d6455d6e53b425fa2b <8826d9e7bd51e7656f78baa4472e8e2f5e7069f0
- Affected versionversion=27c888da9867725784bad3d6455d6e53b425fa2b <9fe183f659a2704255e5d84f6ae308c234a113ec
- Affected versionversion=5.18
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Two-writer synthetic_events race reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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