CVE-2023-53114

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i40e: Fix kernel crash during reboot when adapter is in recovery mode If the driver detects during probe that firmware is in recovery mode then i40e_init_recovery_mode() is called and the rest of probe function is skipped including pci_set_drvdata(). Subsequent i40e_shutdown() called during shutdown/reboot dereferences NULL pointer as pci_get_drvdata() returns NULL. To fix call pci_set_drvdata() also during entering to recovery mode. Reproducer: 1) Lets have i40e NIC with firmware in recovery mode 2) Run reboot Result: [ 139.084698] i40e: Intel(R) Ethernet Connection XL710 Network Driver [ 139.090959] i40e: Copyright (c) 2013 - 2019 Intel Corporation. [ 139.108438] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.116439] i40e 0000:02:00.0: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.129499] i40e 0000:02:00.0: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.215932] i40e 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0f0: renamed from eth0 [ 139.223292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. [ 139.231292] i40e 0000:02:00.1: Refer to the Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode. [ 139.244406] i40e 0000:02:00.1: fw 8.3.64775 api 1.13 nvm 8.30 0x8000b78d 1.3106.0 [8086:1583] [15d9:084a] [ 139.329209] i40e 0000:02:00.1 enp2s0f1: renamed from eth0 ... [ 156.311376] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000006c2 [ 156.318330] #PF: supervisor write access in kernel mode [ 156.323546] #PF: error_code(0x0002) - not-present page [ 156.328679] PGD 0 P4D 0 [ 156.331210] Oops: 0002 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI [ 156.335567] CPU: 26 PID: 15119 Comm: reboot Tainted: G E 6.2.0+ #1 [ 156.343126] Hardware name: Abacus electric, s.r.o. - [email protected] Super Server/H12SSW-iN, BIOS 2.4 04/13/2022 [ 156.353369] RIP: 0010:i40e_shutdown+0x15/0x130 [i40e] [ 156.358430] Code: c1 fc ff ff 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 f3 0f 1e fa 0f 1f 44 00 00 55 48 89 fd 53 48 8b 9f 48 01 00 00 <f0> 80 8b c2 06 00 00 04 f0 80 8b c0 06 00 00 08 48 8d bb 08 08 00 [ 156.377168] RSP: 0018:ffffb223c8447d90 EFLAGS: 00010282 [ 156.382384] RAX: ffffffffc073ee70 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000001 [ 156.389510] RDX: 0000000080000001 RSI: 0000000000000246 RDI: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.396634] RBP: ffff95db49988000 R08: ffffffffffffffff R09: ffffffff8bd17d40 [ 156.403759] R10: 0000000000000001 R11: ffffffff8a5e3d28 R12: ffff95db49988000 [ 156.410882] R13: ffffffff89a6fe17 R14: ffff95db49988150 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 156.418007] FS: 00007fe7c0cc3980(0000) GS:ffff95ea8ee80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 156.426083] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 156.431819] CR2: 00000000000006c2 CR3: 00000003092fc005 CR4: 0000000000770ee0 [ 156.438944] PKRU: 55555554 [ 156.441647] Call Trace: [ 156.444096] <TASK> [ 156.446199] pci_device_shutdown+0x38/0x60 [ 156.450297] device_shutdown+0x163/0x210 [ 156.454215] kernel_restart+0x12/0x70 [ 156.457872] __do_sys_reboot+0x1ab/0x230 [ 156.461789] ? vfs_writev+0xa6/0x1a0 [ 156.465362] ? __pfx_file_free_rcu+0x10/0x10 [ 156.469635] ? __call_rcu_common.constprop.85+0x109/0x5a0 [ 156.475034] do_syscall_64+0x3e/0x90 [ 156.478611] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc [ 156.483658] RIP: 0033:0x7fe7bff37ab7

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2025-05-02 16:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-11-05 21:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2025-05-02 16:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-11-05 21:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-476 · NULL pointer dereference

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.4.238
• Linux Kernel < 5.10.176
• Linux Kernel < 5.15.104
• Linux Kernel < 6.1.21
• Linux Kernel < 6.2.8
• Linux Kernel 6.3

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.5

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

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