CVE-2023-53259 VMCI: check context->notify_page after call to get_user_pages_fast() to avoid GPF
A missing null check in the Linux kernel VMCI driver allows a local attacker to trigger a general protection fault, causing a system crash.
- 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
What is CVE-2023-53259?
CVE-2023-53259 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, 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:
VMCI: check context->notify_page after call to get_user_pages_fast() to avoid GPF
The call to get_user_pages_fast() in vmci_host_setup_notify() can return NULL context->notify_page causing a GPF. To avoid GPF check if context->notify_page == NULL and return error if so.
general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xe0009d1000000060: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN NOPTI KASAN: maybe wild-memory-access in range [0x0005088000000300- 0x0005088000000307] CPU: 2 PID: 26180 Comm: repro_34802241 Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4 #1 Hardware name: Red Hat KVM, BIOS 1.15.0-2.module+el8.6.0 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:vmci_ctx_check_signal_notify+0x91/0xe0 Call Trace: <TASK> vmci_host_unlocked_ioctl+0x362/0x1f40 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x1a1/0x230 do_syscall_64+0x3a/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
Weakness: CWE-125
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53259?
It affects 2 products.
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53259?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2023-53259 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53259 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53259, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53259, GHSA-jg4p-q5hx-rqgr, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2023-53259, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53259.