CVE-2023-53693

Kernel memory exhaustion via raw_gadget reference leak

Published Oct 22, 2025 · Updated Oct 22, 2025

Memory leak in the raw_gadget driver in Linux allows local users to exhaust kernel memory when USB event queuing fails. The raw_ioctl_init path increments raw_dev->count before raw_queue_event succeeds, so raw_release misses dev_free after an error and retains allocated objects. Access to the Raw Gadget interface and an unavailable or busy USB device controller are required; repeated failures deplete kernel memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
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 the raw_gadget driver in Linux allows local users to exhaust kernel memory when USB event queuing fails. The raw_ioctl_init path increments raw_dev->count before raw_queue_event succeeds, so raw_release misses dev_free after an error and retains allocated objects. Access to the Raw Gadget interface and an unavailable or busy USB device controller are required; repeated failures deplete kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53693
Published
Oct 22, 2025
Updated
Oct 22, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 22, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 22, 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 <0f7a2b567197798da7bfa2252f4485c0ca6c6266
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <68e6287ac61dc22513cd39f02b9ac1fef28513e4
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <83e30f2bf86ef7c38fbd476ed81a88522b620628
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9934e5d07c0dc294169a7d52f6309f35cd6d7755
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <de77000c1923d7942f9b4f08447c8feeae1c0f33

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0f7a2b567197798da7bfa2252f4485c0ca6c6266; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <68e6287ac61dc22513cd39f02b9ac1fef28513e4; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <83e30f2bf86ef7c38fbd476ed81a88522b620628; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9934e5d07c0dc294169a7d52f6309f35cd6d7755; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <de77000c1923d7942f9b4f08447c8feeae1c0f33

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.

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

CWE-401Memory Leak
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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