CVE-2023-53499

Network-device initialization failure via incomplete XDP rollback

Published Oct 1, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Improper error handling in the Linux kernel allows attackers to interrupt virtio network-device initialization during XDP setup. In virtnet_open(), an XDP setup error on a receive queue returns without disabling earlier initialized queue pairs, leaving NAPI enabled and resources allocated. Triggering the condition requires XDP initialization to fail after at least one receive queue succeeds; the device-open operation then fails, interrupting that network interface rather than the entire host.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
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

Improper error handling in the Linux kernel allows attackers to interrupt virtio network-device initialization during XDP setup. In virtnet_open(), an XDP setup error on a receive queue returns without disabling earlier initialized queue pairs, leaving NAPI enabled and resources allocated. Triggering the condition requires XDP initialization to fail after at least one receive queue succeeds; the device-open operation then fails, interrupting that network interface rather than the entire host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53499
Published
Oct 1, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record 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=4.16
  2. Affected versionversion=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <037768b28e3752c07d63d1c72a651a6775b080bb
  3. Affected versionversion=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <5306623a9826aa7d63b32c6a3803c798a765474d
  4. Affected versionversion=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <6a7690f2bd178eee80f33411ae32e543ae66379c
  5. Affected versionversion=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <73f53bc295727a3cdbd9d6bcdfaa239258970cf4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.16; version=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <037768b28e3752c07d63d1c72a651a6775b080bb; version=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <5306623a9826aa7d63b32c6a3803c798a765474d; version=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <6a7690f2bd178eee80f33411ae32e543ae66379c; version=754b8a21a96d5f11712245aef907149606b323ae <73f53bc295727a3cdbd9d6bcdfaa239258970cf4

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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