CVE-2023-54291

Kernel crash via NULL CPU affinity mask

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux 6.4 through 6.4.3 allows local users to crash the kernel when deleting a vduse device. The vduse_vdpa_set_vq_affinity callback passes a NULL cpu_mask into an affinity-mask copy instead of resetting the virtqueue mask to all CPUs. Reaching the path requires low-privileged local access and deletion of a configured vduse device; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interrupt.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
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 6.4 through 6.4.3 allows local users to crash the kernel when deleting a vduse device. The vduse_vdpa_set_vq_affinity callback passes a NULL cpu_mask into an affinity-mask copy instead of resetting the virtqueue mask to all CPUs. Reaching the path requires low-privileged local access and deletion of a configured vduse device; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interrupt.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54291
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
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=28f6288eb63d5979fa6758e64f52e4d55cf184a8 <f06cf1e1a503169280467d12d2ec89bf2c30ace7
  2. Affected versionversion=28f6288eb63d5979fa6758e64f52e4d55cf184a8 <f9d46429de2a251e1e4962e1bf86c344d6336562
  3. Affected versionversion=6.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=28f6288eb63d5979fa6758e64f52e4d55cf184a8 <f06cf1e1a503169280467d12d2ec89bf2c30ace7; version=28f6288eb63d5979fa6758e64f52e4d55cf184a8 <f9d46429de2a251e1e4962e1bf86c344d6336562; version=6.4

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
5.5SUSECVSS: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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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