CVE-2023-52489

Kernel crash via sparse-memory usage race

Published Feb 29, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Race condition in the Linux kernel sparse-memory subsystem allows local users to crash affected systems during device-memory removal. pfn_valid() can pass valid_section() before section_deactivate() clears and frees memory_section->usage, causing pfn_section_valid() to dereference NULL. The race requires CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_VMEMAP, interleaved ZONE_NORMAL and ZONE_DEVICE PFNs, and concurrent memory compaction and section removal.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
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

Race condition in the Linux kernel sparse-memory subsystem allows local users to crash affected systems during device-memory removal. pfn_valid() can pass valid_section() before section_deactivate() clears and frees memory_section->usage, causing pfn_section_valid() to dereference NULL. The race requires CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_VMEMAP, interleaved ZONE_NORMAL and ZONE_DEVICE PFNs, and concurrent memory compaction and section removal.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52489
Published
Feb 29, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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=5.3
  2. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <3a01daace71b521563c38bbbf874e14c3e58adb7
  3. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <5ec8e8ea8b7783fab150cf86404fc38cb4db8800
  4. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <68ed9e33324021e9d6b798e9db00ca3093d2012a
  5. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <70064241f2229f7ba7b9599a98f68d9142e81a97
  6. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <90ad17575d26874287271127d43ef3c2af876cea
  7. Affected versionversion=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <b448de2459b6d62a53892487ab18b7d823ff0529

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.3; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <3a01daace71b521563c38bbbf874e14c3e58adb7; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <5ec8e8ea8b7783fab150cf86404fc38cb4db8800; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <68ed9e33324021e9d6b798e9db00ca3093d2012a; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <70064241f2229f7ba7b9599a98f68d9142e81a97; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <90ad17575d26874287271127d43ef3c2af876cea; version=f46edbd1b1516da1fb34c917775168d5df576f78 <b448de2459b6d62a53892487ab18b7d823ff0529

Published CVSS scores

4.7UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.1SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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