Skip to main content

Boteraser | Website and Server Security Solutions

🛡️ CVE-2023-53375 — kernel

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

tracing: Free error logs of tracing instances

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

tracing: Free error logs of tracing instances

When a tracing instance is removed, the error messages that hold errors

that occurred in the instance needs to be freed. The following reports a

memory leak:

# cd /sys/kernel/tracing

# mkdir instances/foo

# echo 'hist:keys=x' > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_switch/trigger

# cat instances/foo/error_log

[ 117.404795] hist:sched:sched_switch: error: Couldn't find field

Command: hist:keys=x

^

# rmdir instances/foo

Then check for memory leaks:

# echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak

# cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak

unreferenced object 0xffff88810d8ec700 (size 192):

comm "bash", pid 869, jiffies 4294950577 (age 215.752s)

hex dump (first 32 bytes):

60 dd 68 61 81 88 ff ff 60 dd 68 61 81 88 ff ff .ha.....ha....

a0 30 8c 83 ff ff ff ff 26 00 0a 00 00 00 00 00 .0......&.......

backtrace:

[<00000000dae26536>] kmalloc_trace+0x2a/0xa0

[<00000000b2938940>] tracing_log_err+0x277/0x2e0

[<000000004a0e1b07>] parse_atom+0x966/0xb40

[<0000000023b24337>] parse_expr+0x5f3/0xdb0

[<00000000594ad074>] event_hist_trigger_parse+0x27f8/0x3560

[<00000000293a9645>] trigger_process_regex+0x135/0x1a0

[<000000005c22b4f2>] event_trigger_write+0x87/0xf0

[<000000002cadc509>] vfs_write+0x162/0x670

[<0000000059c3b9be>] ksys_write+0xca/0x170

[<00000000f1cddc00>] do_syscall_64+0x3e/0xc0

[<00000000868ac68c>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc

unreferenced object 0xffff888170c35a00 (size 32):

comm "bash", pid 869, jiffies 4294950577 (age 215.752s)

hex dump (first 32 bytes):

0a 20 20 43 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 3a 20 68 69 73 74 . Command: hist

3a 6b 65 79 73 3d 78 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 :keys=x.........

backtrace:

[<000000006a747de5>] __kmalloc+0x4d/0x160

[<000000000039df5f>] tracing_log_err+0x29b/0x2e0

[<000000004a0e1b07>] parse_atom+0x966/0xb40

[<0000000023b24337>] parse_expr+0x5f3/0xdb0

[<00000000594ad074>] event_hist_trigger_parse+0x27f8/0x3560

[<00000000293a9645>] trigger_process_regex+0x135/0x1a0

[<000000005c22b4f2>] event_trigger_write+0x87/0xf0

[<000000002cadc509>] vfs_write+0x162/0x670

[<0000000059c3b9be>] ksys_write+0xca/0x170

[<00000000f1cddc00>] do_syscall_64+0x3e/0xc0

[<00000000868ac68c>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc

The problem is that the error log needs to be freed when the instance is

removed.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Affected software

CVE-2023-53375 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 6.2.0 up to 6.2.11)
  • linux-kernel

Timeline and source

Published on 18 September 2025 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

Other advisories for this package

kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

CVE-2023-53375 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity Medium
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2025-09-18
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 6.2.0 6.2.11
linux-kernel — —

Similar Threats

Vulnerability Monitoring

Track new vulnerabilities in kernel

CVE-2023-53375 is rated CVSS 5.5 Medium. BotEraser monitors your WordPress installation and notifies you when software you use appears in our vulnerability database.

Set Up Free Alerts →

No credit card required  ·  Results in minutes

ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

Browse related advisories

All advisoriesCVECVE 2023
✓