CVE-2023-52438

Local privilege escalation via Binder VMA race

Published Feb 20, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel Binder allocator allows local users to gain kernel privileges or crash the system. binder_alloc_free_page dereferences alloc->vma during shrinker reclaim under only the mmap read lock, allowing a concurrent munmap to free the VMA first. Exploitation requires local access to a Binder device and attacker-controlled mapping, unmapping, and memory-pressure operations.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel Binder allocator allows local users to gain kernel privileges or crash the system. binder_alloc_free_page dereferences alloc->vma during shrinker reclaim under only the mmap read lock, allowing a concurrent munmap to free the VMA first. Exploitation requires local access to a Binder device and attacker-controlled mapping, unmapping, and memory-pressure operations.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52438
Published
Feb 20, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 20, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.20
  2. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <3f489c2067c5824528212b0fc18b28d51332d906
  3. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <8ad4d580e8aff8de2a4d57c5930fcc29f1ffd4a6
  4. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <9fa04c93f24138747807fe75b5591bb680098f56
  5. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <a49087ab93508b60d9b8add91707a22dda832869
  6. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <a53e15e592b4dcc91c3a3b8514e484a0bdbc53a3
  7. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <c8c1158ffb007197f31f9d9170cf13e4f34cbb5c
  8. Affected versionversion=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <e074686e993ff1be5f21b085a3b1b4275ccd5727

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.20; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <3f489c2067c5824528212b0fc18b28d51332d906; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <8ad4d580e8aff8de2a4d57c5930fcc29f1ffd4a6; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <9fa04c93f24138747807fe75b5591bb680098f56; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <a49087ab93508b60d9b8add91707a22dda832869; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <a53e15e592b4dcc91c3a3b8514e484a0bdbc53a3; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <c8c1158ffb007197f31f9d9170cf13e4f34cbb5c; version=dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f <e074686e993ff1be5f21b085a3b1b4275ccd5727

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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