CVE-2023-53858

Kernel memory leak via unreleased clock reference

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the samsung_tty serial driver in Linux 3.3 and later allows attackers to leak kernel memory via failed clock-rate lookups. On the error path in s3c24xx_serial_getclk(), clk_get_rate() failure returns without releasing the newly acquired clk reference. The public record does not identify an attacker-controlled trigger or establish that repeated failures interrupt service.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.24%
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 the samsung_tty serial driver in Linux 3.3 and later allows attackers to leak kernel memory via failed clock-rate lookups. On the error path in s3c24xx_serial_getclk(), clk_get_rate() failure returns without releasing the newly acquired clk reference. The public record does not identify an attacker-controlled trigger or establish that repeated failures interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53858
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=3.3
  2. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <073dbbe5743779faf24f233cc95459b47c7198dd
  3. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <1694fc8ad734e2909a9e40d2be03cc4423e0bee6
  4. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <30962268fa1a7466413b3d83037688129021d470
  5. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <34f5b826dd509b76644f83094b4af7e7668a6a38
  6. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <755289d67eb9a74ae71bb624902e979c66859444
  7. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <a49e5a05121c8bc471a57b4916c5393749c24de5
  8. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <a9c09546e903f1068acfa38e1ee18bded7114b37
  9. Affected versionversion=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <f47e6631a8fcc6fe05b8644aa4222a60f3b0a927

What conditions does exploitation require?

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

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.3; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <073dbbe5743779faf24f233cc95459b47c7198dd; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <1694fc8ad734e2909a9e40d2be03cc4423e0bee6; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <30962268fa1a7466413b3d83037688129021d470; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <34f5b826dd509b76644f83094b4af7e7668a6a38; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <755289d67eb9a74ae71bb624902e979c66859444; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <a49e5a05121c8bc471a57b4916c5393749c24de5; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <a9c09546e903f1068acfa38e1ee18bded7114b37; version=5f5a7a5578c5885201cf9c85856f023fe8b81765 <f47e6631a8fcc6fe05b8644aa4222a60f3b0a927

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.

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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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