# CVE-2023-53298: nfc: fix memory leak of se_io context in nfc_genl_se_io

> A memory leak in the Linux kernel NFC subsystem allows attackers to cause denial of service by triggering error paths that fail to free secure element context.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 16 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53298, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53298, GHSA-jg3v-4f9w-62x2, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53298

## What is CVE-2023-53298?

CVE-2023-53298 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 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:

nfc: fix memory leak of se_io context in nfc_genl_se_io

The callback context for sending/receiving APDUs to/from the selected
secure element is allocated inside nfc_genl_se_io and supposed to be
eventually freed in se_io_cb callback function. However, there are several
error paths where the bwi_timer is not charged to call se_io_cb later, and
the cb_context is leaked.

The patch proposes to free the cb_context explicitly on those error paths.

At the moment we can't simply check 'dev->ops->se_io()' return value as it
may be negative in both cases: when the timer was charged and was not.

Weakness: CWE-401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53298?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53298?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53298 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53298 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-2023-53298 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53298 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 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-2023-53298 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-2023-53298/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53298/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53298
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53298
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53298

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53298/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.