CVE-2023-53665Public exploit

Kernel crash via md device lifetime race

Published Oct 7, 2025 · Updated Oct 7, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel md subsystem 6.5 allows local users to crash the kernel by racing RAID device addition and removal. After export_rdev() frees the last rdev and can release mddev, rdev_attr_store() continues into mddev_unlock(), which dereferences the stale mddev pointer. Triggering requires local access that can repeatedly add and remove an md RAID device through sysfs; winning the low-rate race produces a general protection fault and can interrupt the host.

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

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel md subsystem 6.5 allows local users to crash the kernel by racing RAID device addition and removal. After export_rdev() frees the last rdev and can release mddev, rdev_attr_store() continues into mddev_unlock(), which dereferences the stale mddev pointer. Triggering requires local access that can repeatedly add and remove an md RAID device through sysfs; winning the low-rate race produces a general protection fault and can interrupt the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53665
Published
Oct 7, 2025
Updated
Oct 7, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 7, 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=3ce94ce5d05ae89190a23f6187f64d8f4b2d3782 <7deac114be5fb25a4e865212ed0feaf5f85f2a28
  2. Affected versionversion=3ce94ce5d05ae89190a23f6187f64d8f4b2d3782 <ad430ad0669d2757377373390d68e1454fc7a344
  3. Affected versionversion=6.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3ce94ce5d05ae89190a23f6187f64d8f4b2d3782 <7deac114be5fb25a4e865212ed0feaf5f85f2a28; version=3ce94ce5d05ae89190a23f6187f64d8f4b2d3782 <ad430ad0669d2757377373390d68e1454fc7a344; version=6.5

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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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