CVE-2023-52736

Kernel crash via cleared codec preset

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux ALSA HDA codec cleanup allows local users to crash the kernel during ASoC codec module reload. snd_hda_codec_cleanup_for_unbind() clears codec->preset even though device matching assigns that pointer only once, leaving a later reload without a valid preset. The trigger requires local low-privilege access, an affected ASoC codec path, and an unload-reload cycle; the resulting dereference interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

NULL pointer dereference in Linux ALSA HDA codec cleanup allows local users to crash the kernel during ASoC codec module reload. snd_hda_codec_cleanup_for_unbind() clears codec->preset even though device matching assigns that pointer only once, leaving a later reload without a valid preset. The trigger requires local low-privilege access, an affected ASoC codec path, and an unload-reload cycle; the resulting dereference interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52736
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 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=4.1
  2. Affected versionversion=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <427ca2530da8dc61a42620d7113b05e187b6c2c0
  3. Affected versionversion=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <7fc4e7191eae9d9325511e03deadfdb2224914f8
  4. Affected versionversion=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <87978e6ad45a16835cc58234451111091be3c59a
  5. Affected versionversion=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <e909f5f2aa55a8f9aa6919cce08015cb0e8d4668

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.1; version=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <427ca2530da8dc61a42620d7113b05e187b6c2c0; version=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <7fc4e7191eae9d9325511e03deadfdb2224914f8; version=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <87978e6ad45a16835cc58234451111091be3c59a; version=9a6246ff78ac33af78f82704cde6fec361597eea <e909f5f2aa55a8f9aa6919cce08015cb0e8d4668

Published CVSS scores

5.5NISTCVSS: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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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