CVE-2023-52739

Local privilege escalation via compound-page double-free

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Double-free in the Linux kernel allows local users to escalate privileges through concurrent compound-page allocation and release. In mm/page_alloc.c, __free_pages drops its page reference before checking PageHead, so a concurrent free can make the check false and free compound tail pages twice. An ordinary local account can drive the allocation and reference race; successful reuse permits kernel-memory disclosure or writes, privilege escalation, or a kernel crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double-free in the Linux kernel allows local users to escalate privileges through concurrent compound-page allocation and release. In mm/page_alloc.c, __free_pages drops its page reference before checking PageHead, so a concurrent free can make the check false and free compound tail pages twice. An ordinary local account can drive the allocation and reference race; successful reuse permits kernel-memory disclosure or writes, privilege escalation, or a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52739
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-415, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 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=5.9.2 <5.10
  3. Affected versionversion=830b103831a924a23af48562c4d274696e75ab4f
  4. Affected versionversion=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <0a626e27f984dfbe96bd8e4fd08f20a2ede3ea23
  5. Affected versionversion=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <3af734f3eac6f70ef8e272a80da40544b9d0f2b5
  6. Affected versionversion=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <3b4c045a98f53a8890a94bb5846a390c8e39e673
  7. Affected versionversion=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <462a8e08e0e6287e5ce13187257edbf24213ed03

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=5.9.2 <5.10; version=830b103831a924a23af48562c4d274696e75ab4f; version=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <0a626e27f984dfbe96bd8e4fd08f20a2ede3ea23; version=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <3af734f3eac6f70ef8e272a80da40544b9d0f2b5; version=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <3b4c045a98f53a8890a94bb5846a390c8e39e673; version=e320d3012d25b1fb5f3df4edb7bd44a1c362ec10 <462a8e08e0e6287e5ce13187257edbf24213ed03

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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-415Double Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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