CVE-2023-54196

Local kernel crash via failed inode allocation

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel ntfs3 allows local users to crash the kernel when memory allocation fails during inode creation. ntfs_new_inode calls iput after mi_init leaves mi.mrec null, and inode eviction reaches ni_write_inode, which passes that null record to is_rec_inuse. The path requires inode creation on an ntfs3 filesystem during an allocation failure, and the documented consequence is a kernel Oops that interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
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

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel ntfs3 allows local users to crash the kernel when memory allocation fails during inode creation. ntfs_new_inode calls iput after mi_init leaves mi.mrec null, and inode eviction reaches ni_write_inode, which passes that null record to is_rec_inuse. The path requires inode creation on an ntfs3 filesystem during an allocation failure, and the documented consequence is a kernel Oops that interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54196
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
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 <1c5cffe0d662fb2de7b63176c2582abb69b5f538
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <329fc4d3f73d865b25f2ee4eafafb040ace37ad5
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d3d3283e6b4fb3f3ee05dac30ee1461930b8103
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <db2a3cc6a3481076da6344cc62a80a4e2525f36f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1c5cffe0d662fb2de7b63176c2582abb69b5f538; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <329fc4d3f73d865b25f2ee4eafafb040ace37ad5; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d3d3283e6b4fb3f3ee05dac30ee1461930b8103; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <db2a3cc6a3481076da6344cc62a80a4e2525f36f

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS: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

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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

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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