CVE-2023-52781

Kernel service interruption via repeated USB descriptor parsing

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

Improper control flow in the Linux kernel allows local users to interrupt service via a USB BOS descriptor containing a skipped type. When usb_get_bos_descriptor() skips a type other than USB_DT_DEVICE_CAPABILITY, it fails to advance the buffer pointer and byte count, repeatedly reading the same descriptor. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and processing of the malformed descriptor; the reported consequence is limited to availability.

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

Improper control flow in the Linux kernel allows local users to interrupt service via a USB BOS descriptor containing a skipped type. When usb_get_bos_descriptor() skips a type other than USB_DT_DEVICE_CAPABILITY, it fails to advance the buffer pointer and byte count, repeatedly reading the same descriptor. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and processing of the malformed descriptor; the reported consequence is limited to availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52781
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-670, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 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=1fc15d29540a69cfb55c8b8f8c38f1af33178243
  2. Affected versionversion=20a07e1aadcd6990893c532d1b2b507bfa065152
  3. Affected versionversion=3.16.79 <3.17
  4. Affected versionversion=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <64c27b7b2357ddb38b6afebaf46d5bff4d250702
  5. Affected versionversion=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <7c0244cc311a4038505b73682b7c8ceaa5c7a8c8
  6. Affected versionversion=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <974bba5c118f4c2baf00de0356e3e4f7928b4cbc
  7. Affected versionversion=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <9ef94ec8e52eaf7b9abc5b5f8f5b911751112223
  8. Affected versionversion=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <f89fef7710b2ba0f7a1e46594e530dcf2f77be91
  9. Affected versionversion=4.14.146 <4.15
  10. Affected versionversion=4.19.75 <4.20
  11. Affected versionversion=4.4.194 <4.5
  12. Affected versionversion=4.9.194 <4.10
  13. Affected versionversion=5.2.17 <5.3
  14. Affected versionversion=5.3.1 <5.4
  15. Affected versionversion=5.4
  16. Affected versionversion=77ce180d68beffd1af620d0121590e16683fc6b8
  17. Affected versionversion=77d4e2a058858b4a94fc469bc1bfc94a0958e252
  18. Affected versionversion=9f8dd40c68c176f2c3f1fc8b87bc81756856938f
  19. Affected versionversion=a5c051b6503c0ba543e993cfc295b64f096e0a29
  20. Affected versionversion=ea4a173d8358b756a780786baa3fc39d282bdbe3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1fc15d29540a69cfb55c8b8f8c38f1af33178243; version=20a07e1aadcd6990893c532d1b2b507bfa065152; version=3.16.79 <3.17; version=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <64c27b7b2357ddb38b6afebaf46d5bff4d250702; version=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <7c0244cc311a4038505b73682b7c8ceaa5c7a8c8; version=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <974bba5c118f4c2baf00de0356e3e4f7928b4cbc; version=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <9ef94ec8e52eaf7b9abc5b5f8f5b911751112223; version=3dd550a2d36596a1b0ee7955da3b611c031d3873 <f89fef7710b2ba0f7a1e46594e530dcf2f77be91; version=4.14.146 <4.15; version=4.19.75 <4.20; version=4.4.194 <4.5; version=4.9.194 <4.10; version=5.2.17 <5.3; version=5.3.1 <5.4; version=5.4; version=77ce180d68beffd1af620d0121590e16683fc6b8; version=77d4e2a058858b4a94fc469bc1bfc94a0958e252; version=9f8dd40c68c176f2c3f1fc8b87bc81756856938f; version=a5c051b6503c0ba543e993cfc295b64f096e0a29; version=ea4a173d8358b756a780786baa3fc39d282bdbe3

Published CVSS scores

4.4Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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-670Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation
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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