CVE-2023-53238 phy: hisilicon: Fix an out of bounds check in hisi_inno_phy_probe()

What is CVE-2023-53238?

CVE-2023-53238 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:

phy: hisilicon: Fix an out of bounds check in hisi_inno_phy_probe()

The size of array 'priv->ports[]' is INNO_PHY_PORT_NUM.

In the for loop, 'i' is used as the index for array 'priv->ports[]' with a check (i > INNO_PHY_PORT_NUM) which indicates that INNO_PHY_PORT_NUM is allowed value for 'i' in the same loop.

This > comparison needs to be changed to >=, otherwise it potentially leads to an out of bounds write on the next iteration through the loop

Weakness: CWE-125

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53238?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2023-53238?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.

Is CVE-2023-53238 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53238 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53238, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53238, GHSA-w5gr-gjhw-4xpq, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53238.