CVE-2023-53798

Local availability loss via uninitialized lane count

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use of uninitialized memory in Linux kernel ethtool allows local users to disrupt availability through legacy link-mode IOCTLs. The legacy ethtool_set_link_ksettings path leaves struct ethtool_link_ksettings uninitialized, so the tun driver preserves an undefined lanes value that later guides netlink link-mode decisions. The path requires local low-privileged access, and the kernel disclosure reports that the uninitialized value is not exposed to user space.

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

Use of uninitialized memory in Linux kernel ethtool allows local users to disrupt availability through legacy link-mode IOCTLs. The legacy ethtool_set_link_ksettings path leaves struct ethtool_link_ksettings uninitialized, so the tun driver preserves an undefined lanes value that later guides netlink link-mode decisions. The path requires local low-privileged access, and the kernel disclosure reports that the uninitialized value is not exposed to user space.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53798
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <6456d80045d6de47734b1a3879c91f72af186529
  2. Affected versionversion=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <72808c4ab5fd01bf1214195005e15b434bf55cef
  3. Affected versionversion=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <942a2a0184f7bb1c1ae4bbc556559c86c054b0d2
  4. Affected versionversion=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <9ad685dbfe7e856bbf17a7177b64676d324d6ed7
  5. Affected versionversion=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <da81af0ef8092ecacd87fac3229c29e2e0ce39fd
  6. Affected versionversion=5.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <6456d80045d6de47734b1a3879c91f72af186529; version=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <72808c4ab5fd01bf1214195005e15b434bf55cef; version=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <942a2a0184f7bb1c1ae4bbc556559c86c054b0d2; version=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <9ad685dbfe7e856bbf17a7177b64676d324d6ed7; version=012ce4dd3102a0f4d80167de343e9d44b257c1b8 <da81af0ef8092ecacd87fac3229c29e2e0ce39fd; version=5.12

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS: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.

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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

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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