CVE-2023-52872

Local kernel panic via n_gsm cleanup race

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Race condition in the Linux kernel n_gsm driver allows local users to trigger a kernel panic through virtual modem status changes. During gsm_cleanup_mux(), a later gsm_modem_update() queues data and restarts a deleted kick timer after cleanup has removed required resources. Low-privileged local access capable of changing a DLCI's virtual modem status lines is required, and exploitation interrupts the entire host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in the Linux kernel n_gsm driver allows local users to trigger a kernel panic through virtual modem status changes. During gsm_cleanup_mux(), a later gsm_modem_update() queues data and restarts a deleted kick timer after cleanup has removed required resources. Low-privileged local access capable of changing a DLCI's virtual modem status lines is required, and exploitation interrupts the entire host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52872
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, T1499.004
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

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=5.15.61 <5.15.138
  2. Affected versionversion=5.18.18 <5.19
  3. Affected versionversion=5.19.2 <5.20
  4. Affected versionversion=6.0
  5. Affected versionversion=692e847a8e6607909c4a3f98ab16ccee7849bd11
  6. Affected versionversion=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <19d34b73234af542cc8a218cf398dee73cdb1890
  7. Affected versionversion=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <3a75b205de43365f80a33b98ec9289785da56243
  8. Affected versionversion=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <ce4df90333c4fe65acb8b5089fdfe9b955ce976a
  9. Affected versionversion=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <df6cfab66ff2a44bd23ad5dd5309cb3421bb6593
  10. Affected versionversion=d834aba5f30d9a6f98f4ca1eb07e501f1989331c
  11. Affected versionversion=dd37f657387853623f20c1b2482afbb9cd8ece33 <81a4dd5e6c78f5d8952fa8c9d36565db1fe01444

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15.61 <5.15.138; version=5.18.18 <5.19; version=5.19.2 <5.20; version=6.0; version=692e847a8e6607909c4a3f98ab16ccee7849bd11; version=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <19d34b73234af542cc8a218cf398dee73cdb1890; version=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <3a75b205de43365f80a33b98ec9289785da56243; version=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <ce4df90333c4fe65acb8b5089fdfe9b955ce976a; version=c568f7086c6e771c77aad13d727c70ef70e07243 <df6cfab66ff2a44bd23ad5dd5309cb3421bb6593; version=d834aba5f30d9a6f98f4ca1eb07e501f1989331c; version=dd37f657387853623f20c1b2482afbb9cd8ece33 <81a4dd5e6c78f5d8952fa8c9d36565db1fe01444

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS: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

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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