CVE-2023-53515 virtio-mmio: don't break lifecycle of vm_dev
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virtio-mmio driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via improper memory management.
- 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-2023-53515?
CVE-2023-53515 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Oct 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:
virtio-mmio: don't break lifecycle of vm_dev
vm_dev has a separate lifecycle because it has a 'struct device' embedded. Thus, having a release callback for it is correct.
Allocating the vm_dev struct with devres totally breaks this protection, though. Instead of waiting for the vm_dev release callback, the memory is freed when the platform_device is removed. Resulting in a use-after-free when finally the callback is to be called.
To easily see the problem, compile the kernel with CONFIG_DEBUG_KOBJECT_RELEASE and unbind with sysfs.
The fix is easy, don't use devres in this case.
Found during my research about object lifetime problems.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53515?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53515?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2023-53515 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53515 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53515, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53515, GHSA-h7xx-83rf-fcj5, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53515.