CVE-2023-52808

Kernel crash via stale debugfs directory pointer

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel hisi_sas driver allows local users to crash the kernel during device removal. The debugfs initialization failure path removes debugfs_dir but leaves the stale pointer set, so hisi_sas_debugfs_exit later passes it to debugfs_remove_recursive a second time. The fault requires a memory-allocation failure during debugfs setup, subsequent removal of a HiSilicon SAS v3 device, and local access; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.

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 the Linux kernel hisi_sas driver allows local users to crash the kernel during device removal. The debugfs initialization failure path removes debugfs_dir but leaves the stale pointer set, so hisi_sas_debugfs_exit later passes it to debugfs_remove_recursive a second time. The fault requires a memory-allocation failure during debugfs setup, subsequent removal of a HiSilicon SAS v3 device, and local access; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52808
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
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=4.5
  2. Affected versionversion=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <33331b265aac9441ac0c1a5442e3f05d038240ec
  3. Affected versionversion=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <6de426f9276c448e2db7238911c97fb157cb23be
  4. Affected versionversion=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <75a2656260fe8c7eeabda6ff4600b29e183f48db
  5. Affected versionversion=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <b4465009e7d60c6111946db4c8f1e50d401ed7be
  6. Affected versionversion=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <f0bfc8a5561fb0b2c48183dcbfe00bdd6d973bd3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.5; version=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <33331b265aac9441ac0c1a5442e3f05d038240ec; version=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <6de426f9276c448e2db7238911c97fb157cb23be; version=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <75a2656260fe8c7eeabda6ff4600b29e183f48db; version=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <b4465009e7d60c6111946db4c8f1e50d401ed7be; version=47caad1577cd7a39e2048c5e4edbce4b863dc12b <f0bfc8a5561fb0b2c48183dcbfe00bdd6d973bd3

Published CVSS scores

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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