CVE-2023-52833

Kernel crash via unchecked Bluetooth event buffer

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel btusb driver allows local users to crash the kernel while disabling Bluetooth. In btusb_mtk_hci_wmt_sync, code parses data->evt_skb->data after a WMT command without confirming that the event buffer was populated. A low-privileged local user who can block the MediaTek Bluetooth device through rfkill can trigger the shutdown path and interrupt the entire 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 the Linux kernel btusb driver allows local users to crash the kernel while disabling Bluetooth. In btusb_mtk_hci_wmt_sync, code parses data->evt_skb->data after a WMT command without confirming that the event buffer was populated. A low-privileged local user who can block the MediaTek Bluetooth device through rfkill can trigger the shutdown path and interrupt the entire host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52833
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.3
  2. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <0048ddf045bddc4dacb3e783fd869a2f8fb5be30
  3. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <13b1ebad4c175e6a9b0748acbf133c21a15d282a
  4. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <624820f7c8826dd010e8b1963303c145f99816e9
  5. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <9f8e4d1a4ca1179aaeb43f91f3e2a386e7e616b3
  6. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <a556f2ef556a04790f67f2fa272f1a77336d15a0
  7. Affected versionversion=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <f9de14bde56dcbb0765284c6dfc35842b021733c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.3; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <0048ddf045bddc4dacb3e783fd869a2f8fb5be30; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <13b1ebad4c175e6a9b0748acbf133c21a15d282a; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <624820f7c8826dd010e8b1963303c145f99816e9; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <9f8e4d1a4ca1179aaeb43f91f3e2a386e7e616b3; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <a556f2ef556a04790f67f2fa272f1a77336d15a0; version=a1c49c434e15050b5dafe3b6f5cc732d4f02d657 <f9de14bde56dcbb0765284c6dfc35842b021733c

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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