CVE-2023-53668

CPU hang via stale ring-buffer entry counts

Published Oct 7, 2025 · Updated Oct 7, 2025

Denial of service in Linux kernel 3.6 through affected 6.4 releases allows local users to hang a CPU by reading trace_pipe. The rb_reset_cpu function leaves stale page entry counts; after ring-buffer reduction, rb_remove_pages adds them to the overrun count, so tracing_read_pipe repeatedly finds a nonempty buffer but retrieves no entry. Access to kernel tracing is required, and the resulting busy loop consumes a CPU while the trace_pipe read never completes.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Linux kernel 3.6 through affected 6.4 releases allows local users to hang a CPU by reading trace_pipe. The rb_reset_cpu function leaves stale page entry counts; after ring-buffer reduction, rb_remove_pages adds them to the overrun count, so tracing_read_pipe repeatedly finds a nonempty buffer but retrieves no entry. Access to kernel tracing is required, and the resulting busy loop consumes a CPU while the trace_pipe read never completes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53668
Published
Oct 7, 2025
Updated
Oct 7, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-833, T1499
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=3.6
  2. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <0a29dae5786d263016a9aceb1e56bf3fd4cc6fa0
  3. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <27bdd93e44cc28dd9b94893fae146b83d4f5b31e
  4. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <5e68f1f3a20fe9b6bde018e353269fbfa289609c
  5. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <7e42907f3a7b4ce3a2d1757f6d78336984daf8f5
  6. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <8b0b63fdac6b70a45614e7d4b30e5bbb93deb007
  7. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <a55e8a3596048c2f7b574049aeb1885b5abba1cc
  8. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <bb14a93bccc92766b1d9302c6bcbea17d4bce306
  9. Affected versionversion=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <e84829522fc72bb43556b31575731de0440ac0dd

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.6; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <0a29dae5786d263016a9aceb1e56bf3fd4cc6fa0; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <27bdd93e44cc28dd9b94893fae146b83d4f5b31e; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <5e68f1f3a20fe9b6bde018e353269fbfa289609c; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <7e42907f3a7b4ce3a2d1757f6d78336984daf8f5; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <8b0b63fdac6b70a45614e7d4b30e5bbb93deb007; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <a55e8a3596048c2f7b574049aeb1885b5abba1cc; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <bb14a93bccc92766b1d9302c6bcbea17d4bce306; version=a5fb833172eca69136e9ee1ada778e404086ab8a <e84829522fc72bb43556b31575731de0440ac0dd

Published CVSS scores

7.1UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
7.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
4.7Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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.

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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-833Deadlock
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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