CVE-2023-53747

Local privilege escalation via dangling vc_data pointer

Published Dec 8, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux vc_screen in affected kernels from 2.6.38 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through a VT race. After vcs_write drops console_lock, vc_port_destruct can free its vc_data object; the loop then reacquires the lock but passes the stale pointer to vcs_size and later read/write paths. Access to /dev/vcsN or /dev/vcsaN and a VT file descriptor is required, after which controlled kernel-memory reads and writes enable privilege escalation or a kernel panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
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 Linux vc_screen in affected kernels from 2.6.38 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through a VT race. After vcs_write drops console_lock, vc_port_destruct can free its vc_data object; the loop then reacquires the lock but passes the stale pointer to vcs_size and later read/write paths. Access to /dev/vcsN or /dev/vcsaN and a VT file descriptor is required, after which controlled kernel-memory reads and writes enable privilege escalation or a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53747
Published
Dec 8, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 8, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record 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=2.6.38
  2. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <0deff678157333d775af190f84696336cdcccd6d
  3. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <11dddfbb7a4e62489b01074d6c04d9d1b42e4047
  4. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <1de42e7653d6714a7507ba6696151a1fa028c69f
  5. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <3338d0b9acde770ee588eead5cac32c25e7048fc
  6. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <8fb9ea65c9d1338b0d2bb0a9122dc942cdd32357
  7. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <934de9a9b659785fed3e820bc0c813a460c71fea
  8. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <a4e3c4c65ae8510e01352c9a4347e05c035b2ce2
  9. Affected versionversion=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <e3d1adcad5b73c7ed0c7edb35ab68abcaa45cf67

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.38; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <0deff678157333d775af190f84696336cdcccd6d; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <11dddfbb7a4e62489b01074d6c04d9d1b42e4047; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <1de42e7653d6714a7507ba6696151a1fa028c69f; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <3338d0b9acde770ee588eead5cac32c25e7048fc; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <8fb9ea65c9d1338b0d2bb0a9122dc942cdd32357; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <934de9a9b659785fed3e820bc0c813a460c71fea; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <a4e3c4c65ae8510e01352c9a4347e05c035b2ce2; version=ac751efa6a0d70f2c9daef5c7e3a92270f5c2dff <e3d1adcad5b73c7ed0c7edb35ab68abcaa45cf67

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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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