CVE-2023-54140Public exploit

Kernel panic via stale metadata buffer reuse

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Improper buffer reuse in affected Linux nilfs2 kernels allows local users to panic the kernel through a corrupted disk image. nilfs2 retains metadata-buffer pointers after nilfs_clear_dirty_page() discards them, then passes a non-uptodate buffer to mark_buffer_dirty() instead of reloading metadata. A corrupted nilfs2 volume and local filesystem operations are required; panic_on_warn turns the warning into a kernel panic, while stale allocator metadata can expose or corrupt files.

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

Improper buffer reuse in affected Linux nilfs2 kernels allows local users to panic the kernel through a corrupted disk image. nilfs2 retains metadata-buffer pointers after nilfs_clear_dirty_page() discards them, then passes a non-uptodate buffer to mark_buffer_dirty() instead of reloading metadata. A corrupted nilfs2 volume and local filesystem operations are required; panic_on_warn turns the warning into a kernel panic, while stale allocator metadata can expose or corrupt files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54140
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
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=3.10
  2. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <46c11be2dca295742a5508ea910a77f7733fb7f4
  3. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <473795610594f261e98920f0945550314df36f07
  4. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <4da07e958bfda2d69d83db105780e8916e3ac02e
  5. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <99a73016a5e12a09586a96f998e91f9ea145cd00
  6. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <b308b3eabc429649b5501d36290cea403fbd746c
  7. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <b911bef132a06de01a745c6a24172d6db7216333
  8. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <cdaac8e7e5a059f9b5e816cda257f08d0abffacd
  9. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <d95e403588738c7ec38f52b9f490b15e7745d393
  10. Affected versionversion=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <f1d637b63d8a27ac3386f186a694907f2717fc13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.10; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <46c11be2dca295742a5508ea910a77f7733fb7f4; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <473795610594f261e98920f0945550314df36f07; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <4da07e958bfda2d69d83db105780e8916e3ac02e; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <99a73016a5e12a09586a96f998e91f9ea145cd00; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <b308b3eabc429649b5501d36290cea403fbd746c; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <b911bef132a06de01a745c6a24172d6db7216333; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <cdaac8e7e5a059f9b5e816cda257f08d0abffacd; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <d95e403588738c7ec38f52b9f490b15e7745d393; version=8c26c4e2694a163d525976e804d81cd955bbb40c <f1d637b63d8a27ac3386f186a694907f2717fc13

Published CVSS scores

3.3Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
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

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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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