CVE-2023-52616

Local privilege escalation via uninitialized MPI frees

Published Mar 18, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Uninitialized-pointer access in Linux 5.10 through 6.7.2 allows local users to crash the kernel or gain kernel privileges via an SM2 certificate. mpi_ec_init leaves d and two_inv_p uncleared in a kmalloc-allocated context, so mpi_ec_deinit frees attacker-shaped garbage pointers during Za digest calculation. Any unprivileged local user can submit an asymmetric SM2 certificate to a session or user keyring; the arbitrary free supports a kernel panic and kernel-memory or control-flow compromise.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uninitialized-pointer access in Linux 5.10 through 6.7.2 allows local users to crash the kernel or gain kernel privileges via an SM2 certificate. mpi_ec_init leaves d and two_inv_p uncleared in a kmalloc-allocated context, so mpi_ec_deinit frees attacker-shaped garbage pointers during Za digest calculation. Any unprivileged local user can submit an asymmetric SM2 certificate to a session or user keyring; the arbitrary free supports a kernel panic and kernel-memory or control-flow compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52616
Published
Mar 18, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 18, 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=5.10
  2. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <0c3687822259a7628c85cd21a3445cbe3c367165
  3. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <2bb86817b33c9d704e127f92b838035a72c315b6
  4. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <7abdfd45a650c714d5ebab564bb1b988f14d9b49
  5. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <7ebf812b7019fd2d4d5a7ca45ef4bf3a6f4bda0a
  6. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <ba3c5574203034781ac4231acf117da917efcd2a
  7. Affected versionversion=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <bb44477d4506e52785693a39f03cdc6a2c5e8598

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <0c3687822259a7628c85cd21a3445cbe3c367165; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <2bb86817b33c9d704e127f92b838035a72c315b6; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <7abdfd45a650c714d5ebab564bb1b988f14d9b49; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <7ebf812b7019fd2d4d5a7ca45ef4bf3a6f4bda0a; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <ba3c5574203034781ac4231acf117da917efcd2a; version=d58bb7e55a8a65894cc02f27c3e2bf9403e7c40f <bb44477d4506e52785693a39f03cdc6a2c5e8598

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8kernel.orgCVSS: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

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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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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