CVE-2023-52675

Kernel crash via unchecked PMU string allocation

Published May 17, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash the kernel through the PowerPC IMC PMU subsystem. The update_events_in_group function passes unchecked NULL results from three kasprintf calls into device_str_attr_create while registering event, scale, and unit attributes. Exploitation requires low-privilege local access, PowerPC IMC PMU support, and an allocation failure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash the kernel through the PowerPC IMC PMU subsystem. The update_events_in_group function passes unchecked NULL results from three kasprintf calls into device_str_attr_create while registering event, scale, and unit attributes. Exploitation requires low-privilege local access, PowerPC IMC PMU support, and an allocation failure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52675
Published
May 17, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 17, 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=4.14
  2. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <024352f7928b28f53609660663329d8c0f4ad032
  3. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <0a233867a39078ebb0f575e2948593bbff5826b3
  4. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <1e80aa25d186a7aa212df5acd8c75f55ac8dae34
  5. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <5a669f3511d273c8c1ab1c1d268fbcdf53fc7a05
  6. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <75fc599bcdcb1de093c9ced2e3cccc832f3787f3
  7. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <a2da3f9b1a1019c887ee1d164475a8fcdb0a3fec
  8. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <c7d828e12b326ea50fb80c369d7aa87519ed14c6
  9. Affected versionversion=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <f105c263009839d80fad6998324a4e1b3511cba0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.14; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <024352f7928b28f53609660663329d8c0f4ad032; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <0a233867a39078ebb0f575e2948593bbff5826b3; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <1e80aa25d186a7aa212df5acd8c75f55ac8dae34; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <5a669f3511d273c8c1ab1c1d268fbcdf53fc7a05; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <75fc599bcdcb1de093c9ced2e3cccc832f3787f3; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <a2da3f9b1a1019c887ee1d164475a8fcdb0a3fec; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <c7d828e12b326ea50fb80c369d7aa87519ed14c6; version=885dcd709ba9120b9935415b8b0f9d1b94e5826b <f105c263009839d80fad6998324a4e1b3511cba0

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS: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 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-476NULL Pointer Dereference

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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