CVE-2023-54035

Local privilege escalation via double chain release

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

A use-after-free in affected Linux kernel nf_tables releases allows local users to gain kernel privileges through a Netlink request. The NFT_MSG_NEWSETELEM duplicate-element error path releases a chain during element cleanup and again through nft_data_release(), underflowing its reference counter and freeing a still-referenced object. Access requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, which an unprivileged local user can obtain in a new user and network namespace; exploitation can also expose kernel memory or crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

A use-after-free in affected Linux kernel nf_tables releases allows local users to gain kernel privileges through a Netlink request. The NFT_MSG_NEWSETELEM duplicate-element error path releases a chain during element cleanup and again through nft_data_release(), underflowing its reference counter and freeing a still-referenced object. Access requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, which an unprivileged local user can obtain in a new user and network namespace; exploitation can also expose kernel memory or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54035
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-911, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8
  2. Affected versionversion=35651fde1a7bb54dde0a46d35cd0d7136869ae86 <b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0
  3. Affected versionversion=3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50
  4. Affected versionversion=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c
  5. Affected versionversion=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59
  6. Affected versionversion=6.4
  7. Affected versionversion=a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9
  8. Affected versionversion=bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1
  9. Affected versionversion=d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9
  10. Affected versionversion=dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8; version=35651fde1a7bb54dde0a46d35cd0d7136869ae86 <b068314fd8ce751a7f906e55bb90f3551815f1a0; version=3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50; version=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <9c959671abc7d4ffdf34eed10c64492d43cb6a3c; version=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <b389139f12f287b8ed2e2628b72df89a081f0b59; version=6.4; version=a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9; version=bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1; version=d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9; version=dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-911Improper Update of Reference Count
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo