Local kernel crash via OverlayFS ACL race
Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025
Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel OverlayFS before branch fixes allows local users to crash the kernel during an ACL lookup. A concurrent cache eviction can detach the upper inode after ovl_get_inode_acl obtains it, and IS_POSIXACL then dereferences the resulting null realinode. Triggering requires low-privileged local access and an OverlayFS mount; a successful race interrupts the host rather than disclosing or modifying data.
Summary
What happened
Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel OverlayFS before branch fixes allows local users to crash the kernel during an ACL lookup. A concurrent cache eviction can detach the upper inode after ovl_get_inode_acl obtains it, and IS_POSIXACL then dereferences the resulting null realinode. Triggering requires low-privileged local access and an OverlayFS mount; a successful race interrupts the host rather than disclosing or modifying data.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-54313
- Published
- Dec 30, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 30, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- 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=332f606b32b6291a944c8cf23b91f53a6e676525 <c4a5fb1ae5d3f02d3227afde2b9339994389463d
- Affected versionversion=332f606b32b6291a944c8cf23b91f53a6e676525 <d536af163c53ce9f9bcfe87d2e9946f06f1a7ea4
- Affected versionversion=332f606b32b6291a944c8cf23b91f53a6e676525 <d97481c7b2739a704848bb3c01f224dc71bdf78e
- Affected versionversion=332f606b32b6291a944c8cf23b91f53a6e676525 <f4e19e595cc2e76a8a58413eb19d3d9c51328b53
- Affected versionversion=5.15
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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