CVE-2023-54157

Local privilege escalation via Binder VMA race

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel Binder subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through a controllable memory-mapping race. The binder_update_page_range function holds only the mmap read lock while dereferencing alloc->vma, allowing concurrent munmap to detach and free the VMA before vm_insert_page uses it. An unprivileged process with access to a Binder device can drive both sides of the race without user interaction, enabling kernel memory disclosure or modification and potentially an oops or panic.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel Binder subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through a controllable memory-mapping race. The binder_update_page_range function holds only the mmap read lock while dereferencing alloc->vma, allowing concurrent munmap to detach and free the VMA before vm_insert_page uses it. An unprivileged process with access to a Binder device can drive both sides of the race without user interaction, enabling kernel memory disclosure or modification and potentially an oops or panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54157
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=4.20
  2. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <1bb8a65190d45cd5c7dbc85e29b9102110cd6be6
  3. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <931ea1ed31be939c1efdbc49bc66d2a45684f9b4
  4. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <ca0cc0a9c6e56c699e2acbb93d8024523021f3c3
  5. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <d1d8875c8c13517f6fd1ff8d4d3e1ac366a17e07

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.20; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <1bb8a65190d45cd5c7dbc85e29b9102110cd6be6; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <931ea1ed31be939c1efdbc49bc66d2a45684f9b4; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <ca0cc0a9c6e56c699e2acbb93d8024523021f3c3; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <d1d8875c8c13517f6fd1ff8d4d3e1ac366a17e07

Published CVSS scores

7.3UbuntuCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8UbuntuCVSS: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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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