CVE-2023-53136

CVE-2023-53136 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-125.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: af_unix: fix struct pid leaks in OOB support syzbot reported struct pid leak [1]. Issue is that queue_oob() calls maybe_add_creds() which potentially holds a reference on a pid. But skb->destructor is not set (either directly or by calling unix_scm_to_skb()) This means that subsequent kfree_skb() or consume_skb() would leak this reference. In this fix, I chose to fully support scm even for the OOB message. [1] BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8881053e7f80 (size 128): comm "syz-executor242", pid 5066, jiffies 4294946079 (age 13.220s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff812ae26a>] alloc_pid+0x6a/0x560 kernel/pid.c:180 [<ffffffff812718df>] copy_process+0x169f/0x26c0 kernel/fork.c:2285 [<ffffffff81272b37>] kernel_clone+0xf7/0x610 kernel/fork.c:2684 [<ffffffff812730cc>] __do_sys_clone+0x7c/0xb0 kernel/fork.c:2825 [<ffffffff849ad699>] do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] [<ffffffff849ad699>] do_syscall_64+0x39/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 [<ffffffff84a0008b>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-53136?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: af_unix: fix struct pid leaks in OOB support syzbot reported struct pid leak [1]. Issue is that queue_oob() calls maybe_add_creds() which potentially holds a reference on a pid. But skb->destructor is not set (either directly or by calling unix_scm_to_skb()) This means that subsequent kfree_skb() or consume_skb() would leak this reference. In this fix, I chose to fully support scm even for the OOB message. [1] BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8881053e7f80 (size 128): comm "syz-executor242", pid 5066, jiffies 4294946079 (age 13.220s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff812ae26a>] alloc_pid+0x6a/0x560 kernel/pid.c:180 [<ffffffff812718df>] copy_process+0x169f/0x26c0 kernel/fork.c:2285 [<ffffffff81272b37>] kernel_clone+0xf7/0x610 kernel/fork.c:2684 [<ffffffff812730cc>] __do_sys_clone+0x7c/0xb0 kernel/fork.c:2825 [<ffffffff849ad699>] do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] [<ffffffff849ad699>] do_syscall_64+0x39/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 [<ffffffff84a0008b>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
How severe is CVE-2023-53136?
CVE-2023-53136 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-53136 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53136?
CVE-2023-53136 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53136?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2023-53136 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2023-53136 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-13114.
When was CVE-2023-53136 published?
CVE-2023-53136 was published on 2025-05-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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