CVE-2023-54316

Kernel crash via uninitialized refscale wait queue

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

Race condition in the Linux refscale test allows local users with test control to crash an affected kernel as reader threads start. In kernel/rcu/refscale.c, the setup path calls torture_create_kthread() before init_waitqueue_head(), so ref_scale_reader can dereference a zero-initialized queue pointer. Reachability requires refscale to be built in or loaded and the benchmark to run; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.

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

Race condition in the Linux refscale test allows local users with test control to crash an affected kernel as reader threads start. In kernel/rcu/refscale.c, the setup path calls torture_create_kthread() before init_waitqueue_head(), so ref_scale_reader can dereference a zero-initialized queue pointer. Reachability requires refscale to be built in or loaded and the benchmark to run; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-54316
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
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=5.9
  2. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <066fbd8bc981cf49923bf828b7b4092894df577f
  3. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <70a2856fd1d0a040c876ba9e3f89b949ae92e4dd
  4. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <e0322a255a2242dbe4686b6176b3c83dea490529
  5. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <e5de968a9032366198720eac4f368ed7e690b3ef
  6. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <ec9d118ad99dc6f1bc674c1e649c25533d89b9ba
  7. Affected versionversion=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <f5063e8948dad7f31adb007284a5d5038ae31bb8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.9; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <066fbd8bc981cf49923bf828b7b4092894df577f; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <70a2856fd1d0a040c876ba9e3f89b949ae92e4dd; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <e0322a255a2242dbe4686b6176b3c83dea490529; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <e5de968a9032366198720eac4f368ed7e690b3ef; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <ec9d118ad99dc6f1bc674c1e649c25533d89b9ba; version=653ed64b01dc5989f8f579d0038e987476c2c023 <f5063e8948dad7f31adb007284a5d5038ae31bb8

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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