CVE-2023-53591

Kernel hang via mlx5e route-query lock inversion

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

A deadlock in the Linux mlx5e traffic-control route query allows local users to hang the kernel while creating peer flows. The mlx5e_tc_query_route_vport() path takes the devcom read semaphore while the peer-flow path holds the encap table lock, reversing the existing lock order. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and an mlx5 peer-eswitch offload configuration; the documented consequence is an availability-only kernel hang.

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

A deadlock in the Linux mlx5e traffic-control route query allows local users to hang the kernel while creating peer flows. The mlx5e_tc_query_route_vport() path takes the devcom read semaphore while the peer-flow path holds the encap table lock, reversing the existing lock order. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and an mlx5 peer-eswitch offload configuration; the documented consequence is an availability-only kernel hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53591
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=7778fe1a6a6c069a460e4e3ff8ed3722392a4b5b
  3. Affected versionversion=87a0625cf1c76caeaa15c576a0b2fcad4b9387d0
  4. Affected versionversion=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <362063df6ceec80b0b6798b61ae03504dcc125a5
  5. Affected versionversion=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <691c041bf20899fc13c793f92ba61ab660fa3a30
  6. Affected versionversion=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <69966bce28da6aadccfd968b75d128a79da32d17
  7. Affected versionversion=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <a7236e420a7d8082b1df4b3e05c739dd2642a662

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=7778fe1a6a6c069a460e4e3ff8ed3722392a4b5b; version=87a0625cf1c76caeaa15c576a0b2fcad4b9387d0; version=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <362063df6ceec80b0b6798b61ae03504dcc125a5; version=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <691c041bf20899fc13c793f92ba61ab660fa3a30; version=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <69966bce28da6aadccfd968b75d128a79da32d17; version=f9d196bd632b8b79261ec3366c30ec3923ea9a02 <a7236e420a7d8082b1df4b3e05c739dd2642a662

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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