CVE-2023-54065

Kernel memory corruption via undersized driver allocation

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Out-of-bounds access in the realtek-mdio DSA driver in Linux 5.18 and later pre-fix branches allows local users to disclose or corrupt kernel memory. The probe path points priv->chip_data immediately past a realtek_priv allocation without reserving the per-chip trailing storage that later reads and writes use. Affected systems must bind realtek-mdio to a supported Realtek DSA switch; unprivileged statistics reads disclose stale heap data, while privileged MTU or VLAN changes can corrupt adjacent kernel memory or crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
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 access in the realtek-mdio DSA driver in Linux 5.18 and later pre-fix branches allows local users to disclose or corrupt kernel memory. The probe path points priv->chip_data immediately past a realtek_priv allocation without reserving the per-chip trailing storage that later reads and writes use. Affected systems must bind realtek-mdio to a supported Realtek DSA switch; unprivileged statistics reads disclose stale heap data, while privileged MTU or VLAN changes can corrupt adjacent kernel memory or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54065
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1005
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=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <b93eb564869321d0dffaf23fcc5c88112ed62466
  3. Affected versionversion=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <cc0f9bb99735d2b68fac68f37b585d615728ce5b
  4. Affected versionversion=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <fe668aa499b4b95425044ba11af9609db6ecf466

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <b93eb564869321d0dffaf23fcc5c88112ed62466; version=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <cc0f9bb99735d2b68fac68f37b585d615728ce5b; version=aac94001067da183455d6d37959892744fa01d9d <fe668aa499b4b95425044ba11af9609db6ecf466

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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

T1005Data from Local System

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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