CVE-2023-23005

Kernel crash via unchecked error pointer

Published Mar 1, 2023 · Updated Mar 19, 2025

A pointer-checking flaw in Linux kernel memory-tier initialization before 6.2 allows local users to cause a kernel crash. memory_tier_init treats an error pointer returned by alloc_memory_type as a valid allocation because it checks for NULL instead of IS_ERR. The path requires alloc_memory_type to fail during initialization, and SUSE disputes exploitability because no realistic user-controlled route to that error case is known.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A pointer-checking flaw in Linux kernel memory-tier initialization before 6.2 allows local users to cause a kernel crash. memory_tier_init treats an error pointer returned by alloc_memory_type as a valid allocation because it checks for NULL instead of IS_ERR. The path requires alloc_memory_type to fail during initialization, and SUSE disputes exploitability because no realistic user-controlled route to that error case is known.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23005
Published
Mar 1, 2023
Updated
Mar 19, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 1, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 19, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

0.0SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:N
5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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