CVE-2023-54088

Local privilege escalation via unlocked cgroup list removal

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Race condition in Linux kernel 6.1.16, 6.2.3, and 6.3 through 6.4.11 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. In blkg_free_workfn(), list_del_init() removes blkg->q_node from q->blkg_list without holding queue_lock while blkg_destroy_all() can traverse the list. Local users controlling a delegated cgroup v2 subtree can drive the race, producing use-after-free kernel reads and writes, privilege escalation, a panic, or a hard lockup.

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

Race condition in Linux kernel 6.1.16, 6.2.3, and 6.3 through 6.4.11 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. In blkg_free_workfn(), list_del_init() removes blkg->q_node from q->blkg_list without holding queue_lock while blkg_destroy_all() can traverse the list. Local users controlling a delegated cgroup v2 subtree can drive the race, producing use-after-free kernel reads and writes, privilege escalation, a panic, or a hard lockup.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54088
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499, 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

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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=6.3
  2. Affected versionversion=81c1188905f88b77743d1fdeeedfc8cb7b67787d <b5dae1cd0d8368b4338430ff93403df67f0b8bcc
  3. Affected versionversion=bfe46d2efe46c5c952f982e2ca94fe2ec5e58e2a <083b58373463a6e5ee60ecb135269348f68ad7df
  4. Affected versionversion=f1c006f1c6850c14040f8337753a63119bba39b9 <c164c7bc9775be7bcc68754bb3431fce5823822e
  5. Affected versionversion=f1c006f1c6850c14040f8337753a63119bba39b9 <cd4ffdf56791eec95af01f06bee1ec7665ca75c4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=81c1188905f88b77743d1fdeeedfc8cb7b67787d <b5dae1cd0d8368b4338430ff93403df67f0b8bcc; version=bfe46d2efe46c5c952f982e2ca94fe2ec5e58e2a <083b58373463a6e5ee60ecb135269348f68ad7df; version=f1c006f1c6850c14040f8337753a63119bba39b9 <c164c7bc9775be7bcc68754bb3431fce5823822e; version=f1c006f1c6850c14040f8337753a63119bba39b9 <cd4ffdf56791eec95af01f06bee1ec7665ca75c4

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.

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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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service
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

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Your stack

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