Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3 serial8250_pm privilege escalation

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CTI Interest Score
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4.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3. This issue affects the function serial8250_pm. The manipulation results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2023-53176. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: serial: 8250: Reinit port->pm on port specific driver unbind When we unbind a serial port hardware specific 8250 driver, the generic serial8250 driver takes over the port. After that we see an oops about 10 seconds later. This can produce the following at least on some TI SoCs: Unhandled fault: imprecise external abort (0x1406) Internal error: : 1406 [#1] SMP ARM Turns out that we may still have the serial port hardware specific driver port->pm in use, and serial8250_pm() tries to call it after the port specific driver is gone: serial8250_pm [8250_base] from uart_change_pm+0x54/0x8c [serial_base] uart_change_pm [serial_base] from uart_hangup+0x154/0x198 [serial_base] uart_hangup [serial_base] from __tty_hangup.part.0+0x328/0x37c __tty_hangup.part.0 from disassociate_ctty+0x154/0x20c disassociate_ctty from do_exit+0x744/0xaac do_exit from do_group_exit+0x40/0x8c do_group_exit from __wake_up_parent+0x0/0x1c Let's fix the issue by calling serial8250_set_defaults() in serial8250_unregister_port(). This will set the port back to using the serial8250 default functions, and sets the port->pm to point to serial8250_pm.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2023-53176 since 09/15/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 270831 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:03614-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.14.316, 4.19.284, 5.4.244, 5.10.181, 5.15.113, 6.1.30 or 6.3.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 490bf37eaabb0a857ed1ae8e75d8854e41662f1c/c9e080c3005fd183c56ff8f4d75edb5da0765d2c/d5cd2928d31042a7c0a01464f9a8d95be736421d/2c86a1305c1406f45ea780d06953c484ea1d9e6e/1ba5594739d858e524ff0f398ee1ebfe0a8b9d41/af4d6dbb1a92ea424ad1ba1d0c88c7fa2345d872/8e596aed5f2f98cf3e6e98d6fe1d689f4a319308/04e82793f068d2f0ffe62fcea03d007a8cdc16a7 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (270831) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2053). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Dell Secure Connect Gateway
  • F5 F5OS

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.9

VulDB Base Score: 4.6
VulDB Temp Score: 4.4
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privilege escalation
CWE: Unknown
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 270831
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:03614-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 4.14.316/4.19.284/5.4.244/5.10.181/5.15.113/6.1.30/6.3.4
Patch: 490bf37eaabb0a857ed1ae8e75d8854e41662f1c/c9e080c3005fd183c56ff8f4d75edb5da0765d2c/d5cd2928d31042a7c0a01464f9a8d95be736421d/2c86a1305c1406f45ea780d06953c484ea1d9e6e/1ba5594739d858e524ff0f398ee1ebfe0a8b9d41/af4d6dbb1a92ea424ad1ba1d0c88c7fa2345d872/8e596aed5f2f98cf3e6e98d6fe1d689f4a319308/04e82793f068d2f0ffe62fcea03d007a8cdc16a7

Timelineinfo

09/15/2025 Advisory disclosed
09/15/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
09/15/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
01/10/2026 +117 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-53176 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-53176
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-323976
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2053 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 09/15/2025 16:49
Updated: 01/10/2026 20:04
Changes: 09/15/2025 16:49 (57), 10/22/2025 06:32 (2), 12/02/2025 05:15 (11), 12/28/2025 23:39 (7), 01/10/2026 20:04 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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