CVE-2023-53552

Kernel memory corruption via virtual-engine use-after-free

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

Use-after-free in Linux kernel i915 GuC virtual engines allows local users with DRM render-node access to corrupt kernel memory. Exported i915_requests can outlive their GuC virtual engine, and fence release then treats the dangling rq->engine pointer as a valid hardware engine. A local user with access to an i915 DRM render or card node can order context destruction and fence release to read or overwrite freed kernel heap memory or trigger a kernel panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel i915 GuC virtual engines allows local users with DRM render-node access to corrupt kernel memory. Exported i915_requests can outlive their GuC virtual engine, and fence release then treats the dangling rq->engine pointer as a valid hardware engine. A local user with access to an i915 DRM render or card node can order context destruction and fence release to read or overwrite freed kernel heap memory or trigger a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53552
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <5eefc5307c983b59344a4cb89009819f580c84fa
  3. Affected versionversion=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <7fb464d52fa41c31a6fd1ad82888e67c65935d94
  4. Affected versionversion=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <8017a27cec32eac8c8f9430b0a3055840136b856

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.0; version=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <5eefc5307c983b59344a4cb89009819f580c84fa; version=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <7fb464d52fa41c31a6fd1ad82888e67c65935d94; version=bcb9aa45d5a0e11ef91245330c53cde214d15e8d <8017a27cec32eac8c8f9430b0a3055840136b856

Published CVSS scores

7.0Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Linux Kernel CVE TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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