CVE-2023-52864

Local memory corruption via stale WMI device pointer

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Memory corruption in the Linux kernel WMI character-device interface allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during device removal. wmi_char_open treats filp->private_data as WMI device data even though the miscdevice layer stores a miscdevice pointer there, so driver lookup can fail or select a same-named device. Reaching the flaw requires local access to the WMI character device while its associated WMI device is deleted; the reported consequence is kernel-memory corruption.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in the Linux kernel WMI character-device interface allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during device removal. wmi_char_open treats filp->private_data as WMI device data even though the miscdevice layer stores a miscdevice pointer there, so driver lookup can fail or select a same-named device. Reaching the flaw requires local access to the WMI character device while its associated WMI device is deleted; the reported consequence is kernel-memory corruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52864
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-787
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=4.15
  2. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <36d85fa7ae0d6be651c1a745191fa7ef055db43e
  3. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <44a96796d25809502c75771d40ee693c2e44724e
  4. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <9fb0eed09e1470cd4021ff52b2b9dfcbcee4c203
  5. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <cf098e937dd125c0317a0d6f261ac2a950a233d6
  6. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <d426a2955e45a95b2282764105fcfb110a540453
  7. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <e0bf076b734a2fab92d8fddc2b8b03462eee7097
  8. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <eba9ac7abab91c8f6d351460239108bef5e7a0b6
  9. Affected versionversion=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <fb7b06b59c6887659c6ed0ecd3110835eecbb6a3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.15; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <36d85fa7ae0d6be651c1a745191fa7ef055db43e; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <44a96796d25809502c75771d40ee693c2e44724e; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <9fb0eed09e1470cd4021ff52b2b9dfcbcee4c203; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <cf098e937dd125c0317a0d6f261ac2a950a233d6; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <d426a2955e45a95b2282764105fcfb110a540453; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <e0bf076b734a2fab92d8fddc2b8b03462eee7097; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <eba9ac7abab91c8f6d351460239108bef5e7a0b6; version=44b6b7661132b1b0e5fd3147ded66f1e4a817ca9 <fb7b06b59c6887659c6ed0ecd3110835eecbb6a3

Published CVSS scores

7.0kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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

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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