CVE-2023-53574

Kernel crash via incomplete rtw88 unload cleanup

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

Memory leak in Linux kernel 5.2 through 6.5.4 allows local users to crash the kernel by unloading the rtw88 Wi-Fi driver. rtw_core_deinit leaves the TX purge timer active and the C2H socket-buffer queue allocated during teardown instead of deleting the timer and draining the queue. Local access and an active rtw88 driver are required; the resulting kernel crash interrupts service and the retained queue leaks kernel memory.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
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 Linux kernel 5.2 through 6.5.4 allows local users to crash the kernel by unloading the rtw88 Wi-Fi driver. rtw_core_deinit leaves the TX purge timer active and the C2H socket-buffer queue allocated during teardown instead of deleting the timer and draining the queue. Local access and an active rtw88 driver are required; the resulting kernel crash interrupts service and the retained queue leaks kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53574
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
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

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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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4128b00a6006870e117ab1841e58f369e9284ecb
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <634fcbcaa4062db39aeb5ac6ed1bc1feb8dd5216

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4128b00a6006870e117ab1841e58f369e9284ecb; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <634fcbcaa4062db39aeb5ac6ed1bc1feb8dd5216

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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
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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