CVE-2023-53988Public exploit

Kernel panic via unchecked NTFS index metadata

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Out-of-bounds memory access in the Linux ntfs3 driver allows attackers to crash the kernel through a crafted NTFS image. The hdr_delete_de function trusts corrupted INDEX_HDR offsets and lengths, then supplies an unchecked size to memmove beyond its slab allocation. Reaching the flaw requires the crafted image to be mounted and a rename or unlink operation against its directory entry; the demonstrated result is a kernel panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds memory access in the Linux ntfs3 driver allows attackers to crash the kernel through a crafted NTFS image. The hdr_delete_de function trusts corrupted INDEX_HDR offsets and lengths, then supplies an unchecked size to memmove beyond its slab allocation. Reaching the flaw requires the crafted image to be mounted and a rename or unlink operation against its directory entry; the demonstrated result is a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53988
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 24, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <114204d25e1dffdd3a0c1cfbba219afd344f4b4f
  3. Affected versionversion=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <4a034ece7e2877673d9085d6e7ed45e6ee40b761
  4. Affected versionversion=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <9163a5b4ed290da4a7d23fa92533e0e81fd0166e
  5. Affected versionversion=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <ab84eee4c7ab929996602eda7832854c35a6dda2
  6. Affected versionversion=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <c58ea97aa94f033ee64a8cb6587d84a9849b6216

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <114204d25e1dffdd3a0c1cfbba219afd344f4b4f; version=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <4a034ece7e2877673d9085d6e7ed45e6ee40b761; version=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <9163a5b4ed290da4a7d23fa92533e0e81fd0166e; version=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <ab84eee4c7ab929996602eda7832854c35a6dda2; version=82cae269cfa953032fbb8980a7d554d60fb00b17 <c58ea97aa94f033ee64a8cb6587d84a9849b6216

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

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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