CVE-2023-5717

Local privilege escalation via perf group overflow

Published Oct 25, 2023 · Updated Feb 25, 2026

Heap out-of-bounds write in Linux Kernel 4.4 through 6.5 and 6.6 release candidates allows local users to elevate privileges via perf groups. perf_read_group() sizes its values array from the parent event, then can aggregate a child with a larger sibling group and write beyond that allocation. Local low-privilege access is required to create or inherit mismatched PERF_FORMAT_GROUP events; successful corruption grants kernel-level privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.85%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap out-of-bounds write in Linux Kernel 4.4 through 6.5 and 6.6 release candidates allows local users to elevate privileges via perf groups. perf_read_group() sizes its values array from the parent event, then can aggregate a child with a larger sibling group and write beyond that allocation. Local low-privilege access is required to create or inherit mismatched PERF_FORMAT_GROUP events; successful corruption grants kernel-level privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5717
Published
Oct 25, 2023
Updated
Feb 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 25, 2026Record 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=4.4 <6.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.4 <6.6

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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