CVE-2023-54181

BPF program denial via packet-pointer misclassification

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

Denial of service in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to prevent valid networking BPF programs from loading. The verifier's allow_ptr_leaks path treats comparison of two packet pointers as prohibited, returning an error instead of accepting the program. Reachability requires CAP_BPF and CAP_NET_ADMIN; the bounded consequence is failure to start the affected BPF program, not a kernel crash.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to prevent valid networking BPF programs from loading. The verifier's allow_ptr_leaks path treats comparison of two packet pointers as prohibited, returning an error instead of accepting the program. Reachability requires CAP_BPF and CAP_NET_ADMIN; the bounded consequence is failure to start the affected BPF program, not a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54181
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5927f0172d2809d8fc09c1ba667280b0387e9f73
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <acfdc8b77016c8e648aadc283177546c88083dd3
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c96c67991aac6401b4c6996093bccb704bb2ea4b
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d75e30dddf73449bc2d10bb8e2f1a2c446bc67a2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5927f0172d2809d8fc09c1ba667280b0387e9f73; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <acfdc8b77016c8e648aadc283177546c88083dd3; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c96c67991aac6401b4c6996093bccb704bb2ea4b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d75e30dddf73449bc2d10bb8e2f1a2c446bc67a2

Published CVSS scores

6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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