Local privilege escalation via hfi1 SDMA memory corruption
Published Feb 26, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Memory corruption in Linux kernel hfi1 allows local users to elevate privileges through crafted user SDMA requests. user_sdma_txadd() ignores iov_len and can copy through PAGE_SIZE, while SDMA pin-cache races can unpin or free referenced mmu_rb_node objects. An unprivileged local user needs access to the world-accessible hfi1 character device; exploitation grants kernel-level access or crashes the host.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in Linux kernel hfi1 allows local users to elevate privileges through crafted user SDMA requests. user_sdma_txadd() ignores iov_len and can copy through PAGE_SIZE, while SDMA pin-cache races can unpin or free referenced mmu_rb_node objects. An unprivileged local user needs access to the world-accessible hfi1 character device; exploitation grants kernel-level access or crashes the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-52474
- Published
- Feb 26, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 26, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=4.3
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <00cbce5cbf88459cd1aa1d60d0f1df15477df127
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <7e6010f79b58f45b204cf18aa58f4b73c3f30adc
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <9c4c6512d7330b743c4ffd18bd999a86ca26db0d
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <a2bd706ab63509793b5cd5065e685b7ef5cba678
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <c76cb8f4bdf26d04cfa5485a93ce297dba5e6a80
- Affected versionversion=7724105686e718ac476a6ad3304fea2fbcfcffde <dce59b5443700fbd0d2433ec6e4d4cf063448844
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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