Kernel crash via oversized emulated vector operation
Published Mar 6, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Kernel stack corruption in affected Linux PowerPC kernels allows local users to crash the system through a crafted emulated instruction. In arch/powerpc/lib/sstep.c, FP/VMX emulation accepts an operation size from analyse_instr() that can exceed the maximum assumed by stack-backed operands. A low-privileged local user must reach the affected PowerPC single-step emulation path; corrupting the stack can interrupt the system.
Summary
What happened
Kernel stack corruption in affected Linux PowerPC kernels allows local users to crash the system through a crafted emulated instruction. In arch/powerpc/lib/sstep.c, FP/VMX emulation accepts an operation size from analyse_instr() that can exceed the maximum assumed by stack-backed operands. A low-privileged local user must reach the affected PowerPC single-step emulation path; corrupting the stack can interrupt the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-52606
- Published
- Mar 6, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-770, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 6, 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=4.14
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <0580f4403ad33f379eef865c2a6fe94de37febdf
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <28b8ba8eebf26f66d9f2df4ba550b6b3b136082c
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <42084a428a139f1a429f597d44621e3a18f3e414
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <848e1d7fd710900397e1d0e7584680c1c04e3afd
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <8f9abaa6d7de0a70fc68acaedce290c1f96e2e59
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <abd26515d4b767ba48241eea77b28ce0872aef3e
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <beee482cc4c9a6b1dcffb2e190b4fd8782258678
- Affected versionversion=c22435a5f3d8f85ea162ae523a6ba60a58521ba5 <de4f5ed63b8a199704d8cdcbf810309d7eb4b36b
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
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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