Kernel compromise via shared perf sample buffer
Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025
A preemption race in affected Linux kernel builds allows local users to crash or compromise the kernel through sleepable uprobe BPF programs. bpf_perf_event_output leaves preemption enabled when invoked from bpf_prog_run_array_sleepable, so preempted tasks can reuse the same perf_sample_data buffer and corrupt kernel execution. Exploitation requires local code execution and a system-wide uprobe or USDT observability program using the helper; consequences include kernel-memory disclosure, control-flow hijacking, and repeated panics.
Summary
What happened
A preemption race in affected Linux kernel builds allows local users to crash or compromise the kernel through sleepable uprobe BPF programs. bpf_perf_event_output leaves preemption enabled when invoked from bpf_prog_run_array_sleepable, so preempted tasks can reuse the same perf_sample_data buffer and corrupt kernel execution. Exploitation requires local code execution and a system-wide uprobe or USDT observability program using the helper; consequences include kernel-memory disclosure, control-flow hijacking, and repeated panics.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-54303
- 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
- Dec 30, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=6.0
- Affected versionversion=8c7dcb84e3b744b2b70baa7a44a9b1881c33a9c9 <3654ed5daf492463c3faa434c7000d45c2da2ace
- Affected versionversion=8c7dcb84e3b744b2b70baa7a44a9b1881c33a9c9 <a0ac32cf61e5a76e2429e486925a52ee41dd75e3
- Affected versionversion=8c7dcb84e3b744b2b70baa7a44a9b1881c33a9c9 <f2c67a3e60d1071b65848efaa8c3b66c363dd025
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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