CVE-2023-52844

Kernel crash via unchecked kstrdup failure

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's vidtv PSI descriptor code allows local users to crash the system during allocation failure. Several descriptor initializers store kstrdup results without checking for allocation failure, leaving NULL string fields that later PSI processing dereferences. Reachability requires local access to the vidtv test driver and an allocation failure during PSI descriptor setup; the reported consequence is a kernel crash only.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
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's vidtv PSI descriptor code allows local users to crash the system during allocation failure. Several descriptor initializers store kstrdup results without checking for allocation failure, leaving NULL string fields that later PSI processing dereferences. Reachability requires local access to the vidtv test driver and an allocation failure during PSI descriptor setup; the reported consequence is a kernel crash only.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52844
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=5.10
  2. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <3387490c89b10aeb4e71d78b65dbc9ba4b2385b9
  3. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <5c26aae3723965c291c65dd2ecad6a3240d422b0
  4. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <5cfcc8de7d733a1137b86954cc28ce99972311ad
  5. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <76a2c5df6ca8bd8ada45e953b8c72b746f42918d
  6. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <a51335704a3f90eaf23a6864faefca34b382490a
  7. Affected versionversion=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <d17269fb9161995303985ab2fe6f16cfb72152f9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <3387490c89b10aeb4e71d78b65dbc9ba4b2385b9; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <5c26aae3723965c291c65dd2ecad6a3240d422b0; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <5cfcc8de7d733a1137b86954cc28ce99972311ad; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <76a2c5df6ca8bd8ada45e953b8c72b746f42918d; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <a51335704a3f90eaf23a6864faefca34b382490a; version=f90cf6079bf67988f8b1ad1ade70fc89d0080905 <d17269fb9161995303985ab2fe6f16cfb72152f9
The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=5.10; version=7a7899f6f58e

Published CVSS scores

6.2CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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