Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53375 is a Linux kernel memory leak in tracing instances. When a tracing instance is removed, stored error-log messages may not be freed. A local user with tracing access could repeatedly trigger leaks and affect availability. This is not a remote takeover issue, but it can matter on shared or sensitive Linux hosts.
Executive priority
Treat as a routine-to-priority Linux kernel availability fix. Prioritize shared multi-user systems, developer hosts, CI runners, and environments where local users have tracing access. It is lower urgency than remotely exploitable kernel flaws.
Technical view
The flaw is CWE-401 in Linux kernel tracing. Error logs created by failed histogram trigger parsing are retained after the tracing instance is removed. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, with high availability impact and no confidentiality or integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant on Linux systems running affected kernel ranges where local users or services can interact with kernel tracing facilities under /sys/kernel/tracing or debugfs. Internet-facing exposure is not indicated by the sources.
Exploitation context
The CVE record describes a local memory leak scenario and provides kernel leak evidence. The source bundle says KEV is false, and no cited source states active exploitation. Practical abuse requires local access and the ability to exercise tracing instance functionality.
Researcher notes
The public description ties the leak to tracing error logs not being freed during instance removal. Affected data in the bundle lists Linux 5.2 through fixed stable release points including 5.4.241, 5.10.178, 5.15.107, 6.1.24, 6.2.11, and 6.3. Confirm exact distro backports independently.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check your Linux distribution advisory for the exact backported kernel package.
- Restrict access to tracing and debugfs facilities to trusted administrators.
- Monitor shared systems for unusual memory pressure until patched.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers and workloads.
- Compare running kernels with vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
- Verify whether tracing/debugfs is mounted and who can access it.
- Confirm patched kernels are running after maintenance reboots.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-53375 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/987f599fc556a4e64c405d8dde32c70311e8c278CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e36373aa5ffa8e00fe7c71b3209f6f17081e552CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33d5d4e67a0e13c3ca6257fa67bf6503bc000878CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0cf0f55be043ef67c38f492aa37ed1986d2f6b6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/46771c34d6721abfd9e7903eaed2201051eebec6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3357c6e429643231e60447b52ffbb7ac895aca22CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.