CVE-2023-54078

Service interruption via unreleased V4L2 control handlers

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Resource leak in the Linux kernel's MAX9286 media driver allows local users to reduce availability through repeated lifecycle events. The max9286_v4l2_register() error path and max9286_v4l2_unregister() omit v4l2_ctrl_handler_free(), leaving allocated V4L2 control handlers unreleased. Reachability requires the MAX9286 driver and its device lifecycle paths; accumulated unreleased handlers consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in the Linux kernel's MAX9286 media driver allows local users to reduce availability through repeated lifecycle events. The max9286_v4l2_register() error path and max9286_v4l2_unregister() omit v4l2_ctrl_handler_free(), leaving allocated V4L2 control handlers unreleased. Reachability requires the MAX9286 driver and its device lifecycle paths; accumulated unreleased handlers consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54078
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
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

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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=5.9
  2. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <0f25f99dacc72bce7d4128f7a254b23f1a343cc7
  3. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <19f36204dbe28bf4ec0149e87e9996a56af4e654
  4. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <1ad4b8c4552b4096dfc86531462dc1899f96af94
  5. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <1e9fc6c473210138eff3425a6136f0a9bf4eb0ae
  6. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <9a3a907cf69f804eb41ece5c079720d1a6a15aa1
  7. Affected versionversion=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <bfce6a12e5ba1edde95126aa06778027f16115d4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.9; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <0f25f99dacc72bce7d4128f7a254b23f1a343cc7; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <19f36204dbe28bf4ec0149e87e9996a56af4e654; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <1ad4b8c4552b4096dfc86531462dc1899f96af94; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <1e9fc6c473210138eff3425a6136f0a9bf4eb0ae; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <9a3a907cf69f804eb41ece5c079720d1a6a15aa1; version=66d8c9d2422da21ed41f75c03ba0685987b65fe0 <bfce6a12e5ba1edde95126aa06778027f16115d4

Published CVSS scores

3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
4.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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