CVE-2023-52576

Kernel panic via post-teardown memblock free

Published Mar 2, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel allows local users to trigger a kernel panic during kexec cleanup of an IMA buffer. The ima_free_kexec_buffer() path calls memblock_free() long after allocator teardown, so memblock_isolate_range() accesses freed state. Low-privileged local access and a kexec path with an IMA buffer are required; KASAN or KFENCE converts the fault into an idle-task BUG and kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
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 allows local users to trigger a kernel panic during kexec cleanup of an IMA buffer. The ima_free_kexec_buffer() path calls memblock_free() long after allocator teardown, so memblock_isolate_range() accesses freed state. Low-privileged local access and a kexec path with an IMA buffer are required; KASAN or KFENCE converts the fault into an idle-task BUG and kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52576
Published
Mar 2, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=5.13
  2. Affected versionversion=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <34cf99c250d5cd2530b93a57b0de31d3aaf8685b
  3. Affected versionversion=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <d2dfbc0e3b7a04c2d941421a958dc31c897fb204
  4. Affected versionversion=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <eef16bfdb212da60f5144689f2967fb25b051a2b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.13; version=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <34cf99c250d5cd2530b93a57b0de31d3aaf8685b; version=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <d2dfbc0e3b7a04c2d941421a958dc31c897fb204; version=fee3ff99bc67604fba77f19da0106f3ec52b1956 <eef16bfdb212da60f5144689f2967fb25b051a2b

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5SUSECVSS: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-416Use After Free
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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