CVE-2023-53093

MEDIUM
Published May 2, 2025 Modified Nov 12, 2025 CWE-476

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Do not let histogram values have some modifiers Histogram values can not be strings, stacktraces, graphs, symbols, syscalls, or grouped in buckets or log. Give an error if a value is set to do so. Note, the histogram code was not prepared to handle these modifiers for histograms and caused a bug. Mark Rutland reported: # echo 'p:copy_to_user __arch_copy_to_user n=$arg2' >> /sys/kernel/tracing/kprobe_events # echo 'hist:keys=n:vals=hitcount.buckets=8:sort=hitcount' > /sys/kernel/tracing/events/kprobes/copy_to_user/trigger # cat /sys/kernel/tracing/events/kprobes/copy_to_user/hist [ 143.694628] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 [ 143.695190] Mem abort info: [ 143.695362] ESR = 0x0000000096000004 [ 143.695604] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 143.695889] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 143.696077] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 143.696302] FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault [ 143.702381] Data abort info: [ 143.702614] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004 [ 143.702832] CM = 0, WnR = 0 [ 143.703087] user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=00000000448f9000 [ 143.703407] [0000000000000000] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000 [ 143.704137] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP [ 143.704714] Modules linked in: [ 143.705273] CPU: 0 PID: 133 Comm: cat Not tainted 6.2.0-00003-g6fc512c10a7c #3 [ 143.706138] Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) [ 143.706723] pstate: 80000005 (Nzcv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) [ 143.707120] pc : hist_field_name.part.0+0x14/0x140 [ 143.707504] lr : hist_field_name.part.0+0x104/0x140 [ 143.707774] sp : ffff800008333a30 [ 143.707952] x29: ffff800008333a30 x28: 0000000000000001 x27: 0000000000400cc0 [ 143.708429] x26: ffffd7a653b20260 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: ffff10d303ee5800 [ 143.708776] x23: ffffd7a6539b27b0 x22: ffff10d303fb8c00 x21: 0000000000000001 [ 143.709127] x20: ffff10d303ec2000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000 [ 143.709478] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000000000000000 [ 143.709824] x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 203a6f666e692072 x12: 6567676972742023 [ 143.710179] x11: 0a230a6d6172676f x10: 000000000000002c x9 : ffffd7a6521e018c [ 143.710584] x8 : 000000000000002c x7 : 7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f x6 : 000000000000002c [ 143.710915] x5 : ffff10d303b0103e x4 : ffffd7a653b20261 x3 : 000000000000003d [ 143.711239] x2 : 0000000000020001 x1 : 0000000000000001 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 143.711746] Call trace: [ 143.712115] hist_field_name.part.0+0x14/0x140 [ 143.712642] hist_field_name.part.0+0x104/0x140 [ 143.712925] hist_field_print+0x28/0x140 [ 143.713125] event_hist_trigger_print+0x174/0x4d0 [ 143.713348] hist_show+0xf8/0x980 [ 143.713521] seq_read_iter+0x1bc/0x4b0 [ 143.713711] seq_read+0x8c/0xc4 [ 143.713876] vfs_read+0xc8/0x2a4 [ 143.714043] ksys_read+0x70/0xfc [ 143.714218] __arm64_sys_read+0x24/0x30 [ 143.714400] invoke_syscall+0x50/0x120 [ 143.714587] el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0x4c/0x100 [ 143.714807] do_el0_svc+0x44/0xd0 [ 143.714970] el0_svc+0x2c/0x84 [ 143.715134] el0t_64_sync_handler+0xbc/0x140 [ 143.715334] el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 [ 143.715742] Code: a9bd7bfd 910003fd a90153f3 aa0003f3 (f9400000) [ 143.716510] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Segmentation fault

Is your site exposed to CVE-2023-53093?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-476 CWE-476

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-53093? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Do not let histogram values have some modifiers Histogram values can not be strings, stacktraces, graphs, symbols, syscalls, or grouped in buckets or log. Give an error if a value is set to do so. Note, the histogram code was not prepared to handle these modifiers for histograms and caused a bug. Mark Rutland reported: # echo 'p:copy_to_user __arch_copy_to_user n=$arg2' >> /sys/kernel/tracing/kprobe_events # echo 'hist:keys=n:vals=hitcount.buckets=8:sort=hitcount' > /sys/kernel/tracing/events/kprobes/copy_to_user/trigger # cat /sys/kernel/tracing/events/kprobes/copy_to_user/hist [ 143.694628] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 [ 143.695190] Mem abort info: [ 143.695362] ESR = 0x0000000096000004 [ 143.695604] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 143.695889] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 143.696077] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 143.696302] FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault [ 143.702381] Data abort info: [ 143.702614] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004 [ 143.702832] CM = 0, WnR = 0 [ 143.703087] user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=00000000448f9000 [ 143.703407] [0000000000000000] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000 [ 143.704137] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP [ 143.704714] Modules linked in: [ 143.705273] CPU: 0 PID: 133 Comm: cat Not tainted 6.2.0-00003-g6fc512c10a7c #3 [ 143.706138] Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) [ 143.706723] pstate: 80000005 (Nzcv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) [ 143.707120] pc : hist_field_name.part.0+0x14/0x140 [ 143.707504] lr : hist_field_name.part.0+0x104/0x140 [ 143.707774] sp : ffff800008333a30 [ 143.707952] x29: ffff800008333a30 x28: 0000000000000001 x27: 0000000000400cc0 [ 143.708429] x26: ffffd7a653b20260 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: ffff10d303ee5800 [ 143.708776] x23: ffffd7a6539b27b0 x22: ffff10d303fb8c00 x21: 0000000000000001 [ 143.709127] x20: ffff10d303ec2000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000 [ 143.709478] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000000000000000 [ 143.709824] x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 203a6f666e692072 x12: 6567676972742023 [ 143.710179] x11: 0a230a6d6172676f x10: 000000000000002c x9 : ffffd7a6521e018c [ 143.710584] x8 : 000000000000002c x7 : 7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f x6 : 000000000000002c [ 143.710915] x5 : ffff10d303b0103e x4 : ffffd7a653b20261 x3 : 000000000000003d [ 143.711239] x2 : 0000000000020001 x1 : 0000000000000001 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 143.711746] Call trace: [ 143.712115] hist_field_name.part.0+0x14/0x140 [ 143.712642] hist_field_name.part.0+0x104/0x140 [ 143.712925] hist_field_print+0x28/0x140 [ 143.713125] event_hist_trigger_print+0x174/0x4d0 [ 143.713348] hist_show+0xf8/0x980 [ 143.713521] seq_read_iter+0x1bc/0x4b0 [ 143.713711] seq_read+0x8c/0xc4 [ 143.713876] vfs_read+0xc8/0x2a4 [ 143.714043] ksys_read+0x70/0xfc [ 143.714218] __arm64_sys_read+0x24/0x30 [ 143.714400] invoke_syscall+0x50/0x120 [ 143.714587] el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0x4c/0x100 [ 143.714807] do_el0_svc+0x44/0xd0 [ 143.714970] el0_svc+0x2c/0x84 [ 143.715134] el0t_64_sync_handler+0xbc/0x140 [ 143.715334] el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 [ 143.715742] Code: a9bd7bfd 910003fd a90153f3 aa0003f3 (f9400000) [ 143.716510] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Segmentation fault It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2023-53093? +
CVE-2023-53093 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53093? +
CVE-2023-53093 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-53093? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

Related Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-8479

IEC 60870-5-104 used in bidirectional mode in RTU500 is vulnerable for a NULL pointer dereferencing, if a specially crafted sequence …
CVE-2025-24031

PAM-PKCS#11 is a Linux-PAM login module that allows a X.509 certificate based user login. In versions 0.6.12 and prior, the …
CVE-2025-31115

XZ Utils provide a general-purpose data-compression library plus command-line tools. In XZ Utils 5.3.3alpha to 5.8.0, the multithreaded .xz decoder …
CVE-2025-0121

A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks Cortex® XDR agent on Windows devices allows a low-privileged local …
CVE-2023-45925

GNU Midnight Commander 4.8.29-146-g299d9a2fb was discovered to contain a NULL pointer dereference via the function x_error_handler() at tty/x11conn.c. NOTE: this …
CVE-2025-6398

A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the IOMap64.sys driver of ASUS AI Suite 3. The vulnerability can be triggered …

Don't wait for an exploit

Scan your website for vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-53093 — free, no signup required.