CVE-2023-52849

System crash via cleared CXL driver context

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash systems while removing a CXL mock memory device. During cxl_memdev_unregister(), memdev teardown clears the cxlds driver context before dependent CXL regions finish unwinding, so cxl_region_decode_reset() dereferences the cleared context. Triggering the teardown requires local administrative control over CXL device or module removal, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
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 affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash systems while removing a CXL mock memory device. During cxl_memdev_unregister(), memdev teardown clears the cxlds driver context before dependent CXL regions finish unwinding, so cxl_region_decode_reset() dereferences the cleared context. Triggering the teardown requires local administrative control over CXL device or module removal, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52849
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1529
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=5.14.8 <5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=5.15
  3. Affected versionversion=964a9834492210f48b360baa9e20a9eedf4d08ff
  4. Affected versionversion=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <0ca074f7d788627a4e0b047ca5fbdb5fc567220c
  5. Affected versionversion=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <20bd0198bebdd706bd4614b3933ef70d7c19618f
  6. Affected versionversion=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <7c7371b41a14e86f53e7dbe5baa7b1d3e0ab324b
  7. Affected versionversion=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <88d3917f82ed4215a2154432c26de1480a61b209
  8. Affected versionversion=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <cad22a757029c3a1985c221a2d4a6491ad4035ae

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14.8 <5.15; version=5.15; version=964a9834492210f48b360baa9e20a9eedf4d08ff; version=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <0ca074f7d788627a4e0b047ca5fbdb5fc567220c; version=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <20bd0198bebdd706bd4614b3933ef70d7c19618f; version=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <7c7371b41a14e86f53e7dbe5baa7b1d3e0ab324b; version=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <88d3917f82ed4215a2154432c26de1480a61b209; version=9cc238c7a526dba9ee8c210fa2828886fc65db66 <cad22a757029c3a1985c221a2d4a6491ad4035ae

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1529System Shutdown/Reboot

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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