CVE-2023-52790

Kernel memory corruption via transient pool overallocation

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Out-of-bounds allocation in Linux 6.6 through 6.6.2 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through DMA-backed I/O. With CONFIG_SWIOTLB_DYNAMIC enabled, swiotlb_area_find_slots() seeds each transient pool's free list as though its slots fill a complete segment, permitting allocations beyond a smaller buffer. Reachability requires local low-privileged I/O that creates a transient bounce pool; an overrun can expose or modify adjacent kernel memory and crash or hang the host.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds allocation in Linux 6.6 through 6.6.2 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through DMA-backed I/O. With CONFIG_SWIOTLB_DYNAMIC enabled, swiotlb_area_find_slots() seeds each transient pool's free list as though its slots fill a complete segment, permitting allocations beyond a smaller buffer. Reachability requires local low-privileged I/O that creates a transient bounce pool; an overrun can expose or modify adjacent kernel memory and crash or hang the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52790
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-787, 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=6.6
  2. Affected versionversion=79636caad3618e2b38457f6e298c9b31ba82b489 <53c87e846e335e3c18044c397cc35178163d7827
  3. Affected versionversion=79636caad3618e2b38457f6e298c9b31ba82b489 <ce7612496a4ba6068bc68aa1fa9d947dadb4ad9b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.6; version=79636caad3618e2b38457f6e298c9b31ba82b489 <53c87e846e335e3c18044c397cc35178163d7827; version=79636caad3618e2b38457f6e298c9b31ba82b489 <ce7612496a4ba6068bc68aa1fa9d947dadb4ad9b

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
8.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/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-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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