CVE-2023-53263: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2023-53263 is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability in the Linux kernel's drm/nouveau display driver, specifically within the error handling path of the nouveau_connector_create function. The flaw arises because the code frees a connector object after calling drm_connector_init without first performing the necessary DRM-side cleanup, resulting in memory corruption. It affects Linux kernel versions 6.0 through 6.1.46, 6.2 through 6.4.11, and release candidates 6.5-rc1 through 6.5-rc6. The CVE was published on September 16, 2025, with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High) (Red Hat Advisory, Red Hat Bugzilla).

The root cause is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free). The vulnerability is introduced by commit 2b5d1c29f6c4 ("drm/nouveau/disp: PIOR DP uses GPIO for HPD, not PMGR AUX interrupts"), which altered the error handling flow in nouveau_connector_create. When an error occurs after drm_connector_init is called, the code incorrectly frees the connector struct directly without invoking the DRM cleanup routines, leaving dangling references that can be subsequently accessed, causing memory corruption. Exploitation requires local, low-privilege access to a system with an NVIDIA GPU using the Nouveau driver, and no special user interaction is needed (Red Hat Bugzilla, Red Hat Advisory).

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can result in memory corruption, which may lead to system crashes (denial of service), potential privilege escalation, or arbitrary code execution in kernel context. Given the kernel-level nature of the flaw, a successful exploit could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire system. The CVSS v3.1 score reflects high impact across all three security dimensions (Red Hat Advisory).

There is no public proof-of-concept exploit available, and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation has been reported as of the time of publication (Red Hat Advisory). The EPSS score is approximately 0.017%, indicating a very low probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access to a system running an affected kernel version with NVIDIA hardware using the Nouveau driver.

The vulnerability is patched in Linux kernel versions 6.1.47, 6.4.12, and 6.5 (stable). Three upstream kernel commits address the issue: 1b254b791d7b, 3f27451c9f29, and 872feeecd08c. Users should update to a patched kernel version as soon as possible. As a temporary measure, restricting local system access and limiting use of the Nouveau driver (e.g., by using the proprietary NVIDIA driver or blacklisting nouveau) can reduce exposure. SUSE has also released vendor-specific kernel advisories incorporating these fixes (Red Hat Advisory, Red Hat Bugzilla).

Red Hat tracked the issue via its Product Security team and assigned it medium severity in Bugzilla. SUSE released multiple kernel security advisories (SUSE-2025-20870-1, SUSE-2025-20898-1, SUSE-2025-4057-1, SUSE-2025-4132-1) incorporating the fix. No notable independent researcher commentary or significant social media discussion has been observed for this vulnerability.