CVE-2023-54098

Kernel crash via stale debugfs root dereference

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the system while unbinding an i915 GVT device. intel_gvt_debugfs_clean() passes a dangling drm_minor debugfs_root pointer to debugfs_remove() after the DRM debugfs directory has already been removed. Triggering the failure requires local write access to the PCI driver unbind interface and an active i915 GVT setup; the bounded consequence is a kernel oops and system interruption.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.16%
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

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the system while unbinding an i915 GVT device. intel_gvt_debugfs_clean() passes a dangling drm_minor debugfs_root pointer to debugfs_remove() after the DRM debugfs directory has already been removed. Triggering the failure requires local write access to the PCI driver unbind interface and an active i915 GVT setup; the bounded consequence is a kernel oops and system interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54098
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=4.16
  2. Affected versionversion=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <ae9a61511736cc71a99f01e8b7b90f6fb6128ed8
  3. Affected versionversion=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <b85c8536fda3d1ed07c6d87a661ffe18d6eb214b
  4. Affected versionversion=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <bb7c7b2c89d2feb347b6f9bffc1c75987adb1048
  5. Affected versionversion=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <c4b850d1f448a901fbf4f7f36dec38c84009b489
  6. Affected versionversion=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <fe340500baf84b6531c9fc508b167525b9bf6446

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.16; version=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <ae9a61511736cc71a99f01e8b7b90f6fb6128ed8; version=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <b85c8536fda3d1ed07c6d87a661ffe18d6eb214b; version=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <bb7c7b2c89d2feb347b6f9bffc1c75987adb1048; version=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <c4b850d1f448a901fbf4f7f36dec38c84009b489; version=bc7b0be316aebac42eb9e8e54c984609555944da <fe340500baf84b6531c9fc508b167525b9bf6446

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
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

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