CVE-2023-53409
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-09-18

Last updated on: 2025-12-11

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drivers: base: component: fix memory leak with using debugfs_lookup() When calling debugfs_lookup() the result must have dput() called on it, otherwise the memory will leak over time. To make things simpler, just call debugfs_lookup_and_remove() instead which handles all of the logic at once.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2025-09-18
Last Modified
2025-12-11
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2025-09-18
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2023-53409
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel to 5.15.100 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.16 (inc) to 6.1.18 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.2 (inc) to 6.2.5 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-401 The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a memory leak in the Linux kernel related to the use of the debugfs_lookup() function. When debugfs_lookup() is called, the returned result must be released using dput() to avoid leaking memory over time. The fix involves replacing debugfs_lookup() with debugfs_lookup_and_remove(), which handles the necessary cleanup automatically.

Impact Analysis

The memory leak caused by improper handling of debugfs_lookup() can lead to increased memory usage over time, potentially degrading system performance or causing instability if the leak is significant and persistent.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate this vulnerability, update the Linux kernel to a version where the fix has been applied. The fix involves ensuring that debugfs_lookup() results have dput() called on them to prevent memory leaks, or preferably using debugfs_lookup_and_remove() which handles this automatically.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2023-53409. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart