# CVE-2023-53793: perf tool x86: Fix perf_env memory leak

> A memory leak in the Linux kernel perf tool can lead to resource exhaustion and denial of service.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53793, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53793, GHSA-47vm-9f65-qwhr, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53793

## What is CVE-2023-53793?

CVE-2023-53793 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 9 Dec 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:

perf tool x86: Fix perf_env memory leak

Found by leak sanitizer:
```
==1632594==ERROR: LeakSanitizer: detected memory leaks

Direct leak of 21 byte(s) in 1 object(s) allocated from:
    #0 0x7f2953a7077b in __interceptor_strdup ../../../../src/libsanitizer/asan/asan_interceptors.cpp:439
    #1 0x556701d6fbbf in perf_env__read_cpuid util/env.c:369
    #2 0x556701d70589 in perf_env__cpuid util/env.c:465
    #3 0x55670204bba2 in x86__is_amd_cpu arch/x86/util/env.c:14
    #4 0x5567020487a2 in arch__post_evsel_config arch/x86/util/evsel.c:83
    #5 0x556701d8f78b in evsel__config util/evsel.c:1366
    #6 0x556701ef5872 in evlist__config util/record.c:108
    #7 0x556701cd6bcd in test__PERF_RECORD tests/perf-record.c:112
    #8 0x556701cacd07 in run_test tests/builtin-test.c:236
    #9 0x556701cacfac in test_and_print tests/builtin-test.c:265
    #10 0x556701cadddb in __cmd_test tests/builtin-test.c:402
    #11 0x556701caf2aa in cmd_test tests/builtin-test.c:559
    #12 0x556701d3b557 in run_builtin tools/perf/perf.c:323
    #13 0x556701d3bac8 in handle_internal_command tools/perf/perf.c:377
    #14 0x556701d3be90 in run_argv tools/perf/perf.c:421
    #15 0x556701d3c3f8 in main tools/perf/perf.c:537
    #16 0x7f2952a46189 in __libc_start_call_main ../sysdeps/nptl/libc_start_call_main.h:58

SUMMARY: AddressSanitizer: 21 byte(s) leaked in 1 allocation(s).
```

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53793?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-53793?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53793 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53793 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53793 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53793 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 9 Dec 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-2023-53793 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2023-53793/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53793/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53793
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53793
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53793

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53793/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.