CVE-2023-54162Network attack vector

Authenticated memory exhaustion via unreleased lock arguments

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

Memory leak in the ksmbd SMB2 lock handler in Linux allows remote authenticated users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated lock cancellation. smb2_lock() allocates an argument for asynchronous lock work but fails to free it when setup_async_work() fails or the waiting process is awakened. An established SMB session, tree connection, and open file handle are required; repeated cancellation or wake-up of deferred locks drains server memory.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the ksmbd SMB2 lock handler in Linux allows remote authenticated users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated lock cancellation. smb2_lock() allocates an argument for asynchronous lock work but fails to free it when setup_async_work() fails or the waiting process is awakened. An established SMB session, tree connection, and open file handle are required; repeated cancellation or wake-up of deferred locks drains server memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54162
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 30, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 30, 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=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <11d38f8a0c19763e34d2093b5ecb640e012cb2d2
  3. Affected versionversion=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <6bf555ed8938444466c3d7f3252eb874a518f293
  4. Affected versionversion=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <bfe8372ef2dbdce97f13b21d76e2080ddeef5a79
  5. Affected versionversion=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <d3ca9f7aeba793d74361d88a8800b2f205c9236b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <11d38f8a0c19763e34d2093b5ecb640e012cb2d2; version=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <6bf555ed8938444466c3d7f3252eb874a518f293; version=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <bfe8372ef2dbdce97f13b21d76e2080ddeef5a79; version=e2f34481b24db2fd634b5edb0a5bd0e4d38cc6e9 <d3ca9f7aeba793d74361d88a8800b2f205c9236b

Published CVSS scores

8.8Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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