Linux Kernel up to 5.10.172/5.15.98/6.1.15/6.2.2 l2tp_tunnel_register file descriptor consumption

| CVSS Meta Temp Score | Current Exploit Price (≈) | CTI Interest Score |
|---|---|---|
| 4.6 | $0-$5k | 0.00 |
Summary
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.172/5.15.98/6.1.15/6.2.2. This issue affects the function l2tp_tunnel_register. The manipulation results in file descriptor consumption.
This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2023-53809. There is no exploit available.
You should upgrade the affected component.
Details
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.172/5.15.98/6.1.15/6.2.2. Affected is the function l2tp_tunnel_register. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a file descriptor consumption vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-769. This entry has been deprecated because it was a duplicate of CWE-774. All content has been transferred to CWE-774. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: l2tp: Avoid possible recursive deadlock in l2tp_tunnel_register() When a file descriptor of pppol2tp socket is passed as file descriptor of UDP socket, a recursive deadlock occurs in l2tp_tunnel_register(). This situation is reproduced by the following program: int main(void) { int sock; struct sockaddr_pppol2tp addr; sock = socket(AF_PPPOX, SOCK_DGRAM, PX_PROTO_OL2TP); if (sock < 0) { perror("socket"); return 1; } addr.sa_family = AF_PPPOX; addr.sa_protocol = PX_PROTO_OL2TP; addr.pppol2tp.pid = 0; addr.pppol2tp.fd = sock; addr.pppol2tp.addr.sin_family = PF_INET; addr.pppol2tp.addr.sin_port = htons(0); addr.pppol2tp.addr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr("192.168.0.1"); addr.pppol2tp.s_tunnel = 1; addr.pppol2tp.s_session = 0; addr.pppol2tp.d_tunnel = 0; addr.pppol2tp.d_session = 0; if (connect(sock, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) { perror("connect"); return 1; } return 0; } This program causes the following lockdep warning: ============================================ WARNING: possible recursive locking detected 6.2.0-rc5-00205-gc96618275234 #56 Not tainted -------------------------------------------- repro/8607 is trying to acquire lock: ffff8880213c8130 (sk_lock-AF_PPPOX){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: l2tp_tunnel_register+0x2b7/0x11c0 but task is already holding lock: ffff8880213c8130 (sk_lock-AF_PPPOX){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: pppol2tp_connect+0xa82/0x1a30 other info that might help us debug this: Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 ---- lock(sk_lock-AF_PPPOX); lock(sk_lock-AF_PPPOX); *** DEADLOCK *** May be due to missing lock nesting notation 1 lock held by repro/8607: #0: ffff8880213c8130 (sk_lock-AF_PPPOX){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: pppol2tp_connect+0xa82/0x1a30 stack backtrace: CPU: 0 PID: 8607 Comm: repro Not tainted 6.2.0-rc5-00205-gc96618275234 #56 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x178 __lock_acquire.cold+0x119/0x3b9 ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x410/0x410 lock_acquire+0x1e0/0x610 ? l2tp_tunnel_register+0x2b7/0x11c0 ? lock_downgrade+0x710/0x710 ? __fget_files+0x283/0x3e0 lock_sock_nested+0x3a/0xf0 ? l2tp_tunnel_register+0x2b7/0x11c0 l2tp_tunnel_register+0x2b7/0x11c0 ? sprintf+0xc4/0x100 ? l2tp_tunnel_del_work+0x6b0/0x6b0 ? debug_object_deactivate+0x320/0x320 ? lockdep_init_map_type+0x16d/0x7a0 ? lockdep_init_map_type+0x16d/0x7a0 ? l2tp_tunnel_create+0x2bf/0x4b0 ? l2tp_tunnel_create+0x3c6/0x4b0 pppol2tp_connect+0x14e1/0x1a30 ? pppol2tp_put_sk+0xd0/0xd0 ? aa_sk_perm+0x2b7/0xa80 ? aa_af_perm+0x260/0x260 ? bpf_lsm_socket_connect+0x9/0x10 ? pppol2tp_put_sk+0xd0/0xd0 __sys_connect_file+0x14f/0x190 __sys_connect+0x133/0x160 ? __sys_connect_file+0x190/0x190 ? lockdep_hardirqs_on+0x7d/0x100 ? ktime_get_coarse_real_ts64+0x1b7/0x200 ? ktime_get_coarse_real_ts64+0x147/0x200 ? __audit_syscall_entry+0x396/0x500 __x64_sys_connect+0x72/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x38/0xb0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd This patch fixes the issue by getting/creating the tunnel before locking the pppol2tp socket.
The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2023-53809 since 12/09/2025. 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 278100 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53809), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.
Upgrading to version 5.10.173, 5.15.99, 6.1.16 or 6.2.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 4a413d360959962995e16a899cf2b9ef53e9fcb9/f6df58aa15f7d469f69b1dd21b001ff483255244/4bb736b40475528ac1aa8c98b368563618488a70/5370647dd745bb3d8f37057006be207ddd8e9314/9ca5e7ecab064f1f47da07f7c1ddf40e4bc0e5ac 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 (278100) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2765). 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
- SUSE openSUSE
- Open Source Linux Kernel
- RESF Rocky Linux
Product
Type
Vendor
Name
Version
- 5.10.172
- 5.15.0
- 5.15.1
- 5.15.2
- 5.15.3
- 5.15.4
- 5.15.5
- 5.15.6
- 5.15.7
- 5.15.8
- 5.15.9
- 5.15.10
- 5.15.11
- 5.15.12
- 5.15.13
- 5.15.14
- 5.15.15
- 5.15.16
- 5.15.17
- 5.15.18
- 5.15.19
- 5.15.20
- 5.15.21
- 5.15.22
- 5.15.23
- 5.15.24
- 5.15.25
- 5.15.26
- 5.15.27
- 5.15.28
- 5.15.29
- 5.15.30
- 5.15.31
- 5.15.32
- 5.15.33
- 5.15.34
- 5.15.35
- 5.15.36
- 5.15.37
- 5.15.38
- 5.15.39
- 5.15.40
- 5.15.41
- 5.15.42
- 5.15.43
- 5.15.44
- 5.15.45
- 5.15.46
- 5.15.47
- 5.15.48
- 5.15.49
- 5.15.50
- 5.15.51
- 5.15.52
- 5.15.53
- 5.15.54
- 5.15.55
- 5.15.56
- 5.15.57
- 5.15.58
- 5.15.59
- 5.15.60
- 5.15.61
- 5.15.62
- 5.15.63
- 5.15.64
- 5.15.65
- 5.15.66
- 5.15.67
- 5.15.68
- 5.15.69
- 5.15.70
- 5.15.71
- 5.15.72
- 5.15.73
- 5.15.74
- 5.15.75
- 5.15.76
- 5.15.77
- 5.15.78
- 5.15.79
- 5.15.80
- 5.15.81
- 5.15.82
- 5.15.83
- 5.15.84
- 5.15.85
- 5.15.86
- 5.15.87
- 5.15.88
- 5.15.89
- 5.15.90
- 5.15.91
- 5.15.92
- 5.15.93
- 5.15.94
- 5.15.95
- 5.15.96
- 5.15.97
- 5.15.98
- 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
- 6.2.0
- 6.2.1
- 6.2.2
License
Website
- Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/
CPE 2.3
CPE 2.2
CVSSv4
VulDB Vector: 🔒VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CVSSv3
VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.8VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CVSSv2
| AV | AC | Au | C | I | A |
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍
Exploiting
Class: File descriptor consumptionCWE: CWE-769 / CWE-400 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒
Physical: No
Local: No
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: 278100
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53809
Threat Intelligence
Interest: 🔍Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍
Countermeasures
Recommended: UpgradeStatus: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔒
Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.173/5.15.99/6.1.16/6.2.3
Patch: 4a413d360959962995e16a899cf2b9ef53e9fcb9/f6df58aa15f7d469f69b1dd21b001ff483255244/4bb736b40475528ac1aa8c98b368563618488a70/5370647dd745bb3d8f37057006be207ddd8e9314/9ca5e7ecab064f1f47da07f7c1ddf40e4bc0e5ac
Timeline
12/09/2025 Advisory disclosed12/09/2025 CVE reserved
12/09/2025 VulDB entry created
03/29/2026 VulDB entry last update
Sources
Vendor: kernel.orgAdvisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed
CVE: CVE-2023-53809 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-53809
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-335064
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2765 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Denial of Service
Entry
Created: 12/09/2025 11:19Updated: 03/29/2026 18:23
Changes: 12/09/2025 11:19 (58), 12/09/2025 11:31 (1), 12/11/2025 10:36 (2), 03/29/2026 18:23 (7)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:812:103
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