CVE-2023-54169

Service interruption via mlx5 PTP allocation leak

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

Resource leak in the mlx5 Ethernet PTP code in Linux allows local users to consume kernel memory during channel setup failures. When mlx5e_ptp_open encounters a failed kvzalloc_node or kvzalloc call, its error path returns without freeing the c or cparams array. Reachability requires a local system with an mlx5 interface and an allocation failure; each failed open retains kernel memory and degrades availability.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in the mlx5 Ethernet PTP code in Linux allows local users to consume kernel memory during channel setup failures. When mlx5e_ptp_open encounters a failed kvzalloc_node or kvzalloc call, its error path returns without freeing the c or cparams array. Reachability requires a local system with an mlx5 interface and an allocation failure; each failed open retains kernel memory and degrades availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54169
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <4892e1e548b5bd6524c1c89df06e4849df26fc20
  2. Affected versionversion=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <7035e3ae600c4e9cb3dc220c24dd77112ddff8b1
  3. Affected versionversion=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <83a8f7337a14cdb215c76a8f4cf3f3be8b59177d
  4. Affected versionversion=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <d543b649ffe58a0cb4b6948b3305069c5980a1fa
  5. Affected versionversion=5.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <4892e1e548b5bd6524c1c89df06e4849df26fc20; version=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <7035e3ae600c4e9cb3dc220c24dd77112ddff8b1; version=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <83a8f7337a14cdb215c76a8f4cf3f3be8b59177d; version=145e5637d941daec2e8d1ff21676cbf1aa62cf4d <d543b649ffe58a0cb4b6948b3305069c5980a1fa; version=5.11

Published CVSS scores

6.2SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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