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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2023-53234: watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.16% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc, 23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b, 4.10.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc, 23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b, 4.10 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register kmemleak reports memory leaks in watchdog_dev_register, as follows: unreferenced object 0xffff888116233000 (size 2048): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 80 fa b9 05 81 88 ff ff 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff .........0#..... 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0#............. backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<000000006a389304>] kmalloc_trace+0x21/0x110 [<000000008d640eea>] watchdog_dev_register+0x4e/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... unreferenced object 0xffff888105b9fa80 (size 16): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 16 bytes): 77 61 74 63 68 64 6f 67 31 00 b9 05 81 88 ff ff watchdog1....... backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<00000000486ab89b>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x44/0x1b0 [<000000005a39aab0>] kvasprintf+0xb5/0x140 [<0000000024806f85>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180 [<000000009276cb7f>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150 [<00000000a92e820b>] dev_set_name+0xab/0xe0 [<00000000cec812c6>] watchdog_dev_register+0x285/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... The reason is that put_device is not be called if cdev_device_add fails and wdd->id != 0. watchdog_cdev_register wd_data = kzalloc [1] err = dev_set_name [2] .. err = cdev_device_add if (err) { if (wdd->id == 0) { // wdd->id != 0 .. } return err; // [1],[2] would be leaked To fix it, call put_device in all wdd->id cases.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 5th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

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  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel4.9.225 and later · before 4.10
  • linux linux kernel4.14.182 and later · before 4.14.308
  • linux linux kernel4.19.93 and later · before 4.19.276
  • linux linux kernel5.4.8 and later · before 5.4.235
  • linux linux kernel5.5 and later · before 5.10.173
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.100
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.18
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.2.5

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • f76905ce52653e8a821963c35d9013cff19b1399, 5.5affected
    • 450caf1faa0d7bbbd1da93d3ee8c5edea7bc51a8 and later · before bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538affected · git
    • f4c36f1999745c2160422fe2f362deadbe3a136b and later · before 8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56affected · git
    • ca7851d46de8a8d69022c4e5feed0820483b5f46 and later · before 59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366affected · git
    • 72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535 and later · before c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3affected · git
    • 72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535 and later · before 23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3baffected · git
    • 72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535 and later · before ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3affected · git
    • 72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535 and later · before 50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098aaffected · git
    • 72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535 and later · before 13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeeccaffected · git
    • 4.14.182 and later · before 4.14.308affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.20-16.1.20-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe…KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-53230Sep 15, 2025 · smb: client: fix warning in cifs_smb3_do_mount()
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-53233Sep 15, 2025 · net/smc: fix deadlock triggered by cancel_delayed_work_syn()
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-53235Sep 15, 2025 · drm/tests: helpers: Avoid a driver uaf
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeeccVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3bVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux4.10Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux4.14.308Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux4.19.276Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.4.235Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098aVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxbf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxc5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.20-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-401 · Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (7 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records