# CVE-2023-53184: arm64/sme: Set new vector length before reallocating

> A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel's arm64 SME implementation allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges due to an undersized buffer allocation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53184, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53184, GHSA-hx38-rpx2-8wv8, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53184

## What is CVE-2023-53184?

CVE-2023-53184 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

arm64/sme: Set new vector length before reallocating

As part of fixing the allocation of the buffer for SVE state when changing
SME vector length we introduced an immediate reallocation of the SVE state,
this is also done when changing the SVE vector length for consistency.
Unfortunately this reallocation is done prior to writing the new vector
length to the task struct, meaning the allocation is done with the old
vector length and can lead to memory corruption due to an undersized buffer
being used.

Move the update of the vector length before the allocation to ensure that
the new vector length is taken into account.

For some reason this isn't triggering any problems when running tests on
the arm64 fixes branch (even after repeated tries) but is triggering
issues very often after merge into mainline.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53184?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53184?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53184 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53184 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53184 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53184 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53184 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53184/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53184/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53184
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53184
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53184

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53184/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.