CVE-2023-53698

Local privilege escalation via stale XSK pool reference

Published Oct 22, 2025 · Updated Oct 22, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel AF_XDP socket path allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by triggering Tx-ring allocation failure. When xp_alloc_tx_descs() fails under memory pressure, the error path decrements the pool reference but leaves xs->pool attached to the socket. Closing the socket decrements the stale reference again, underflowing the count and enabling kernel memory disclosure, corruption, privilege escalation, or a panic; AF_XDP access through CAP_NET_RAW in a user and network namespace is required.

CVSS severity7.8
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

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel AF_XDP socket path allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by triggering Tx-ring allocation failure. When xp_alloc_tx_descs() fails under memory pressure, the error path decrements the pool reference but leaves xs->pool attached to the socket. Closing the socket decrements the stale reference again, underflowing the count and enabling kernel memory disclosure, corruption, privilege escalation, or a panic; AF_XDP access through CAP_NET_RAW in a user and network namespace is required.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53698
Published
Oct 22, 2025
Updated
Oct 22, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
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=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=9f0c8a9d4ef1b9ebee0e4ac2495fe790727044aa
  3. Affected versionversion=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <15b453cf7348973217558235b9ece2ee5fea6777
  4. Affected versionversion=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <3e7722c31d4167eb7f3ffd35aba52cab69b79072
  5. Affected versionversion=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <85c2c79a07302fe68a1ad5cc449458cc559e314d
  6. Affected versionversion=f7019562f142bc041f9cde63af338d1886585923 <789fcd94c9cac133dd4d96e193188661aca9f6c3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=9f0c8a9d4ef1b9ebee0e4ac2495fe790727044aa; version=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <15b453cf7348973217558235b9ece2ee5fea6777; version=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <3e7722c31d4167eb7f3ffd35aba52cab69b79072; version=ba3beec2ec1d3b4fd8672ca6e781dac4b3267f6e <85c2c79a07302fe68a1ad5cc449458cc559e314d; version=f7019562f142bc041f9cde63af338d1886585923 <789fcd94c9cac133dd4d96e193188661aca9f6c3

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS: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.

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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

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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