# 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.

- **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:** 1 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53515, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53515, GHSA-h7xx-83rf-fcj5, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53515

## 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 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53515?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53515?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2023-53515 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53515 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-2023-53515/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53515/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53515
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53515
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53515

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53515/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.