CVE-2023-53818

Device-tree node leak via missing reference release

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Reference-count leak in the ARM Zynq SLCR initializer in affected Linux release lines starting at 4.0 retains a node during early boot. The zynq_early_slcr_init error path returns after of_find_compatible_node() increments the compatible node's reference count but omits the matching of_node_put(). Reachability is limited to ARM systems using the xlnx,zynq-slcr device-tree node during early platform initialization; published sources identify no attacker-controlled trigger or further consequence.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Reference-count leak in the ARM Zynq SLCR initializer in affected Linux release lines starting at 4.0 retains a node during early boot. The zynq_early_slcr_init error path returns after of_find_compatible_node() increments the compatible node's reference count but omits the matching of_node_put(). Reachability is limited to ARM systems using the xlnx,zynq-slcr device-tree node during early platform initialization; published sources identify no attacker-controlled trigger or further consequence.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53818
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

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=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <1cc12d10d13ae5ad8d3f7432a4c0156d221fc99b
  2. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <227f8c1c5c4b3d131b66e57e58d38054f441b915
  3. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <351b7e93d02b50b2faae2d4bda28e16a8389cbb7
  4. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <4c22ee805202087c2553c9175968e9e922d75bc1
  5. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <9eedb910a3be0005b88c696a8552c0d4c9937cd4
  6. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <e43a06c73be4b93d308f0df809ee0023b7c37b54
  7. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <ede0334bf4df360f4f9446075cffbbb3bc54d0b6
  8. Affected versionversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <f00bc6727adf840eb208700ea27cda4f3742629d
  9. Affected versionversion=4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

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

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <1cc12d10d13ae5ad8d3f7432a4c0156d221fc99b; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <227f8c1c5c4b3d131b66e57e58d38054f441b915; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <351b7e93d02b50b2faae2d4bda28e16a8389cbb7; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <4c22ee805202087c2553c9175968e9e922d75bc1; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <9eedb910a3be0005b88c696a8552c0d4c9937cd4; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <e43a06c73be4b93d308f0df809ee0023b7c37b54; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <ede0334bf4df360f4f9446075cffbbb3bc54d0b6; version=3329659df0300d1d0aa22f5e7063f83a88ef92aa <f00bc6727adf840eb208700ea27cda4f3742629d; version=4.0

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

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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)
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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