Linux Kernel up to 5.15.111/6.1.28/6.2.15/6.3.2 ntfs_lookup null pointer dereference

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5.0	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.111/6.1.28/6.2.15/6.3.2. It has been declared as critical. The impacted element is the function ntfs_lookup. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2023-53294. There is not any exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.111/6.1.28/6.2.15/6.3.2. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is the function ntfs_lookup. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: Fix null-ptr-deref on inode->i_op in ntfs_lookup() Syzbot reported a null-ptr-deref bug: ntfs3: loop0: Different NTFS' sector size (1024) and media sector size (512) ntfs3: loop0: Mark volume as dirty due to NTFS errors general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc0000000001: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000008-0x000000000000000f] RIP: 0010:d_flags_for_inode fs/dcache.c:1980 [inline] RIP: 0010:__d_add+0x5ce/0x800 fs/dcache.c:2796 Call Trace: <TASK> d_splice_alias+0x122/0x3b0 fs/dcache.c:3191 lookup_open fs/namei.c:3391 [inline] open_last_lookups fs/namei.c:3481 [inline] path_openat+0x10e6/0x2df0 fs/namei.c:3688 do_filp_open+0x264/0x4f0 fs/namei.c:3718 do_sys_openat2+0x124/0x4e0 fs/open.c:1310 do_sys_open fs/open.c:1326 [inline] __do_sys_open fs/open.c:1334 [inline] __se_sys_open fs/open.c:1330 [inline] __x64_sys_open+0x221/0x270 fs/open.c:1330 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x3d/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd If the MFT record of ntfs inode is not a base record, inode->i_op can be NULL. And a null-ptr-deref may happen: ntfs_lookup() dir_search_u() # inode->i_op is set to NULL d_splice_alias() __d_add() d_flags_for_inode() # inode->i_op->get_link null-ptr-deref Fix this by adding a Check on inode->i_op before calling the d_splice_alias() function.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-53294 since 09/16/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 265668 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53294), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.112, 6.1.29, 6.2.16 or 6.3.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch f8d9e062a695a3665c4635c4f216a75912687598/d69d5e2a81df94534bdb468bcdd26060fcb7191a/2ba22cbc6a1cf4b58195adbee0b80262e53992d3/e78240bc4b94fc42854d65e657bb998100cc8e1b/254e69f284d7270e0abdc023ee53b71401c3ba0c 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 (265668) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2053). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.111
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.2.0
• 6.2.1
• 6.2.2
• 6.2.3
• 6.2.4
• 6.2.5
• 6.2.6
• 6.2.7
• 6.2.8
• 6.2.9
• 6.2.10
• 6.2.11
• 6.2.12
• 6.2.13
• 6.2.14
• 6.2.15
• 6.3.0
• 6.3.1
• 6.3.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 265668
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53294

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.15.112/6.1.29/6.2.16/6.3.3
Patch: f8d9e062a695a3665c4635c4f216a75912687598/d69d5e2a81df94534bdb468bcdd26060fcb7191a/2ba22cbc6a1cf4b58195adbee0b80262e53992d3/e78240bc4b94fc42854d65e657bb998100cc8e1b/254e69f284d7270e0abdc023ee53b71401c3ba0c

Timelineinfo

09/16/2025 Advisory disclosed
09/16/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
09/16/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
01/11/2026 +117 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-53294 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-53294
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-324386
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2053 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 09/16/2025 14:08
Updated: 01/11/2026 11:20
Changes: 09/16/2025 14:08 (58), 09/21/2025 03:21 (2), 12/03/2025 04:12 (12), 01/02/2026 12:54 (7), 01/11/2026 11:20 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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