CVE-2023-54248

Kernel crash via unchecked NTFS3 allocation result

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's NTFS3 log replay allows attackers to crash the kernel when attribute duplication fails. The do_action redo/undo routine copies a loaded NTFS attribute with kmemdup, then frees the existing attribute and stores the allocation result without checking for NULL. The fault requires an NTFS3 volume, a loaded attribute processed during log replay, and a failed kernel-memory allocation.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
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 the Linux kernel's NTFS3 log replay allows attackers to crash the kernel when attribute duplication fails. The do_action redo/undo routine copies a loaded NTFS attribute with kmemdup, then frees the existing attribute and stores the allocation result without checking for NULL. The fault requires an NTFS3 volume, a loaded attribute processed during log replay, and a failed kernel-memory allocation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54248
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

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=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <7898db22ed6cee909513cf4935b5f9f0298b74f0
  3. Affected versionversion=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <952bbfcedbf895963509861e55a6e4fc105eb842
  4. Affected versionversion=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <9f36704a58adade3b0216f8a3fa5503db4517208
  5. Affected versionversion=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <cdcdfd57f4c701f832787da1309cc6687917d783
  6. Affected versionversion=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <e6c3cef24cb0d045f99d5cb039b344874e3cfd74

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <7898db22ed6cee909513cf4935b5f9f0298b74f0; version=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <952bbfcedbf895963509861e55a6e4fc105eb842; version=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <9f36704a58adade3b0216f8a3fa5503db4517208; version=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <cdcdfd57f4c701f832787da1309cc6687917d783; version=b46acd6a6a627d876898e1c84d3f84902264b445 <e6c3cef24cb0d045f99d5cb039b344874e3cfd74

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
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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