CVE-2023-54216

Local kernel memory corruption via uninitialized mapping pool

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel mlx5e traffic-control path in 6.3 through 6.3.5 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via a TC flower rule. mlx5e_tc_action_miss_mapping_get selects the eswitch object-mapping pool when eswitch is disabled, so mlx5_add_flow_rules consumes an invalid object and KASAN reports a slab use-after-free. Reachability requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN access, an mlx5 interface in NIC mode, and installation of a TC flower rule; the resulting corruption can crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
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 mlx5e traffic-control path in 6.3 through 6.3.5 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via a TC flower rule. mlx5e_tc_action_miss_mapping_get selects the eswitch object-mapping pool when eswitch is disabled, so mlx5_add_flow_rules consumes an invalid object and KASAN reports a slab use-after-free. Reachability requires local CAP_NET_ADMIN access, an mlx5 interface in NIC mode, and installation of a TC flower rule; the resulting corruption can crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54216
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
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=6.3
  2. Affected versionversion=6702782845a5bf381a19b204c369e63420041665 <4150441c010dec36abc389828e2e4758bd8ad4b3
  3. Affected versionversion=6702782845a5bf381a19b204c369e63420041665 <dfa1e46d6093831b9d49f0f350227a1d13644a2f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=6702782845a5bf381a19b204c369e63420041665 <4150441c010dec36abc389828e2e4758bd8ad4b3; version=6702782845a5bf381a19b204c369e63420041665 <dfa1e46d6093831b9d49f0f350227a1d13644a2f

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS: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 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

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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