CVE-2023-53696

Kernel memory leak via unreleased scan list

Published Oct 22, 2025 · Updated Oct 22, 2025

Memory leak in qla2xxx in affected Linux kernel releases allows attackers to retain kernel memory when adapter initialization fails. qla2x00_create_host allocates the fab_scan_rp scan.l port list, but qla2x00_probe_one reaches probe_failed after base_vha initialization failure without freeing it. The documented event leaked 12,288 bytes during modprobe; public material does not establish an unprivileged trigger or repeated resource exhaustion.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
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 qla2xxx in affected Linux kernel releases allows attackers to retain kernel memory when adapter initialization fails. qla2x00_create_host allocates the fab_scan_rp scan.l port list, but qla2x00_probe_one reaches probe_failed after base_vha initialization failure without freeing it. The documented event leaked 12,288 bytes during modprobe; public material does not establish an unprivileged trigger or repeated resource exhaustion.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53696
Published
Oct 22, 2025
Updated
Oct 22, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

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=4.16
  2. Affected versionversion=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <44374911ac63f769c442f56fdfadea673c5f4425
  3. Affected versionversion=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <582e35e97318ccd9c81774bac08938291679525f
  4. Affected versionversion=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <85ade4010e13ef152ea925c74d94253db92e5428
  5. Affected versionversion=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <ae73c4dd48f2c79d515d509a0cbe9efb0a197f44

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.16; version=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <44374911ac63f769c442f56fdfadea673c5f4425; version=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <582e35e97318ccd9c81774bac08938291679525f; version=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <85ade4010e13ef152ea925c74d94253db92e5428; version=a4239945b8ad112fb914d0605c8f6c5fd3330f61 <ae73c4dd48f2c79d515d509a0cbe9efb0a197f44

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
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

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Your stack

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