CVE-2023-54305Public exploit

Kernel panic via ext4 unmount race

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

A race in Linux ext4 extended-attribute handling allows local users to trigger a kernel panic during filesystem unmount. The ext4_xattr_inode_create path can continue after unmount clears s_root, then dereference that null root while expanding extended-attribute storage. Triggering the crash requires local control of an ext4 filesystem and a successful race between extended-attribute expansion and unmount processing.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A race in Linux ext4 extended-attribute handling allows local users to trigger a kernel panic during filesystem unmount. The ext4_xattr_inode_create path can continue after unmount clears s_root, then dereference that null root while expanding extended-attribute storage. Triggering the crash requires local control of an ext4 filesystem and a successful race between extended-attribute expansion and unmount processing.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54305
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <05cbf6ddd9847c7b4f0662c048f195b09405a9d0
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0dc0fa313bb4e86382a3e7125429710d44383196
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <116008ada3d0de4991099edaf6b8c2e9cd6f225a
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <21f6a80d9234422e2eb445734b22c78fc5bf6719
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a458a8c1d1fc4e10a1813786132b09a3863ad3f2
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a92b67e768bde433b9385cde56c09deb58db269e
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aedea161d031502a423ed1c7597754681a4f8cda
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f31173c19901a96bb2ebf6bcfec8a08df7095c91

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <05cbf6ddd9847c7b4f0662c048f195b09405a9d0; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0dc0fa313bb4e86382a3e7125429710d44383196; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <116008ada3d0de4991099edaf6b8c2e9cd6f225a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <21f6a80d9234422e2eb445734b22c78fc5bf6719; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a458a8c1d1fc4e10a1813786132b09a3863ad3f2; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a92b67e768bde433b9385cde56c09deb58db269e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aedea161d031502a423ed1c7597754681a4f8cda; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f31173c19901a96bb2ebf6bcfec8a08df7095c91

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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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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