CVE-2023-53604

Kernel memory leak via unreleased dm-integrity slab cache

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

Memory leak in Linux kernel dm-integrity allows attackers to consume kernel memory when device-mapper target registration fails. dm_integrity_init allocates journal_io_cache but returns from the dm_register_target failure path without calling kmem_cache_destroy. The flaw is limited to that local initialization failure path, and the public record does not establish how an attacker can induce repeated failures.

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

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Memory leak in Linux kernel dm-integrity allows attackers to consume kernel memory when device-mapper target registration fails. dm_integrity_init allocates journal_io_cache but returns from the dm_register_target failure path without calling kmem_cache_destroy. The flaw is limited to that local initialization failure path, and the public record does not establish how an attacker can induce repeated failures.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53604
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3877b5c1509b16eeb1f275228fd91789cd88cf17
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44f29e93a55b544dc961b6f8b4e93abaeaafb9ee
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6b79a428c02769f2a11f8ae76bf866226d134887
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d126899b0747305c9d39a0bcf87e0df9c3f555b
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a5d8c6bf58e5b2e70fbc15f3b08dfc1ba6f269ac
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c8c9c50268729bf35f6c9bb1205f490db920454e
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ca8b634fdf07dee3f6dfde57079c4511480b525e
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e09a592fdd6c716506774bdbebb5f6c537b47767
  9. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ff4d6b5b38429a7731e5593680d2138bf74dd546

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3877b5c1509b16eeb1f275228fd91789cd88cf17; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44f29e93a55b544dc961b6f8b4e93abaeaafb9ee; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6b79a428c02769f2a11f8ae76bf866226d134887; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d126899b0747305c9d39a0bcf87e0df9c3f555b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a5d8c6bf58e5b2e70fbc15f3b08dfc1ba6f269ac; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c8c9c50268729bf35f6c9bb1205f490db920454e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ca8b634fdf07dee3f6dfde57079c4511480b525e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e09a592fdd6c716506774bdbebb5f6c537b47767; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ff4d6b5b38429a7731e5593680d2138bf74dd546

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo