CVE-2023-53234 - Vulnerability Details

- watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register

kmemleak reports memory leaks in watchdog_dev_register, as follows:
unreferenced object 0xffff888116233000 (size 2048):
comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s)
hex dump (first 32 bytes):
80 fa b9 05 81 88 ff ff 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff .........0#.....
08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0#.............
backtrace:
[<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220
[<000000006a389304>] kmalloc_trace+0x21/0x110
[<000000008d640eea>] watchdog_dev_register+0x4e/0x780 [watchdog]
[<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog]
[<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog]
[<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae
[<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0
[<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0
[<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0
...

unreferenced object 0xffff888105b9fa80 (size 16):
comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s)
hex dump (first 16 bytes):
77 61 74 63 68 64 6f 67 31 00 b9 05 81 88 ff ff watchdog1.......
backtrace:
[<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220
[<00000000486ab89b>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x44/0x1b0
[<000000005a39aab0>] kvasprintf+0xb5/0x140
[<0000000024806f85>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180
[<000000009276cb7f>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150
[<00000000a92e820b>] dev_set_name+0xab/0xe0
[<00000000cec812c6>] watchdog_dev_register+0x285/0x780 [watchdog]
[<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog]
[<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog]
[<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae
[<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0
[<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0
[<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0
...

The reason is that put_device is not be called if cdev_device_add fails
and wdd->id != 0.

watchdog_cdev_register
wd_data = kzalloc [1]
err = dev_set_name [2]
..
err = cdev_device_add
if (err) {
if (wdd->id == 0) { // wdd->id != 0
..
}
return err; // [1],[2] would be leaked

To fix it, call put_device in all wdd->id cases.

Published: 2025-09-15

Score: 5.5 Medium

EPSS: < 1% Very Low

KEV: No

Impact:

Action:

Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

Linux

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`450caf1faa0d7bbbd1da93d3ee8c5edea7bc51a8`	affected	< bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538
`f4c36f1999745c2160422fe2f362deadbe3a136b`	affected	< 8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56
`ca7851d46de8a8d69022c4e5feed0820483b5f46`	affected	< 59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366
`72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535`	affected	< c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3
`72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535`	affected	< 23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b
`72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535`	affected	< ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3
`72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535`	affected	< 50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098a
`72139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535`	affected	< 13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc
`f76905ce52653e8a821963c35d9013cff19b1399`	affected	—

Linux

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`5.5`	affected	—
`0`	unaffected	< 5.5
`4.14.308`	unaffected	≤ 4.14.*
`4.19.276`	unaffected	≤ 4.19.*
`5.4.235`	unaffected	≤ 5.4.*
`5.10.173`	unaffected	≤ 5.10.*
`5.15.100`	unaffected	≤ 5.15.*
`6.1.18`	unaffected	≤ 6.1.*
`6.2.5`	unaffected	≤ 6.2.*
`6.3`	unaffected	≤ *

Configuration 1 [-]

OR	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
	cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::

No data.

Vendor	Product	Confidence	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	—	—

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Tracking

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Advisories

Source	ID	Title
EUVD	EUVD-2023-59850	In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register kmemleak reports memory leaks in watchdog_dev_register, as follows: unreferenced object 0xffff888116233000 (size 2048): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 80 fa b9 05 81 88 ff ff 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff .........0#..... 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0#............. backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<000000006a389304>] kmalloc_trace+0x21/0x110 [<000000008d640eea>] watchdog_dev_register+0x4e/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... unreferenced object 0xffff888105b9fa80 (size 16): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 16 bytes): 77 61 74 63 68 64 6f 67 31 00 b9 05 81 88 ff ff watchdog1....... backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<00000000486ab89b>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x44/0x1b0 [<000000005a39aab0>] kvasprintf+0xb5/0x140 [<0000000024806f85>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180 [<000000009276cb7f>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150 [<00000000a92e820b>] dev_set_name+0xab/0xe0 [<00000000cec812c6>] watchdog_dev_register+0x285/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... The reason is that put_device is not be called if cdev_device_add fails and wdd->id != 0. watchdog_cdev_register wd_data = kzalloc [1] err = dev_set_name [2] .. err = cdev_device_add if (err) { if (wdd->id == 0) { // wdd->id != 0 .. } return err; // [1],[2] would be leaked To fix it, call put_device in all wdd->id cases.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00023.

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact partial

References

Link	Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098a
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025091515-CVE-2023-53234-5a07@gregkh/T
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53234
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53234

History

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:15:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics		ssvc `{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}`

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Weaknesses		CWE-401
CPEs		cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
First Time appeared		Linux Linux linux Kernel
Vendors & Products		Linux Linux linux Kernel

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:15:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References		https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025091515-CVE-2023-53234-5a07@gregkh/T https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53234 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53234
Metrics	threat_severity `None`	cvssV3_1 `{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}` threat_severity `Low`

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:45:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register kmemleak reports memory leaks in watchdog_dev_register, as follows: unreferenced object 0xffff888116233000 (size 2048): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 80 fa b9 05 81 88 ff ff 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff .........0#..... 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0#............. backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<000000006a389304>] kmalloc_trace+0x21/0x110 [<000000008d640eea>] watchdog_dev_register+0x4e/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... unreferenced object 0xffff888105b9fa80 (size 16): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 16 bytes): 77 61 74 63 68 64 6f 67 31 00 b9 05 81 88 ff ff watchdog1....... backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<00000000486ab89b>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x44/0x1b0 [<000000005a39aab0>] kvasprintf+0xb5/0x140 [<0000000024806f85>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180 [<000000009276cb7f>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150 [<00000000a92e820b>] dev_set_name+0xab/0xe0 [<00000000cec812c6>] watchdog_dev_register+0x285/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... The reason is that put_device is not be called if cdev_device_add fails and wdd->id != 0. watchdog_cdev_register wd_data = kzalloc [1] err = dev_set_name [2] .. err = cdev_device_add if (err) { if (wdd->id == 0) { // wdd->id != 0 .. } return err; // [1],[2] would be leaked To fix it, call put_device in all wdd->id cases.
Title		watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register
References		https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098a https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published: 2025-09-15T14:22:07.219Z

Updated: 2026-05-11T19:40:50.318Z

Reserved: 2025-09-15T14:19:21.847Z

Link: CVE-2023-53234

Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-14T17:55:53.727Z

NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2025-09-15T15:15:50.420

Modified: 2026-01-14T18:16:34.417

Link: CVE-2023-53234

Redhat

Severity : Low

Publid Date: 2025-09-15T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-53234 - Bugzilla

OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-09-17T10:07:56Z

Weaknesses

CWE-401

Tracking

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact partial

Subscriptions

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