CVE-2023-52875

Kernel crash via unchecked clock-data allocation

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux MediaTek MT2701 clock driver before branch-specific fixes allows local users to crash the kernel. The MT2701 initialization path continues after mtk_alloc_clk_data returns NULL and passes the missing clock-data object to subsequent registration logic. Reachability requires the MT2701 driver and an allocation failure during clock initialization; the documented consequence is a system-interrupting kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
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 MediaTek MT2701 clock driver before branch-specific fixes allows local users to crash the kernel. The MT2701 initialization path continues after mtk_alloc_clk_data returns NULL and passes the missing clock-data object to subsequent registration logic. Reachability requires the MT2701 driver and an allocation failure during clock initialization; the documented consequence is a system-interrupting kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52875
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
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

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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=4.10
  2. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <001e5def774fa1a8f2b29567c0b0cd3e3a859a96
  3. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <0d6e24b422a2166a9297a8286ff2e6ab9a5e8cd3
  4. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <1953e62366da5460dc712e045f94fb0d8918999d
  5. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <1bf9c204aef4cc55ce46a7ff2d4dc7e5f86551a7
  6. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <2a18dd653284550900b02107c3c7b3ac5e0eb802
  7. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <6fccee2af400edaed9cf349d506c5971d4762739
  8. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <d1175cf4bd2b4c5f7c43f677ea1ce9ad2c18d055
  9. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <d1461f0c9ca0827c03730fe9652ebbf6316a2a95
  10. Affected versionversion=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <e61934720af4a58ffd43a63ffdd6f3a0bd7d7b47

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.10; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <001e5def774fa1a8f2b29567c0b0cd3e3a859a96; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <0d6e24b422a2166a9297a8286ff2e6ab9a5e8cd3; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <1953e62366da5460dc712e045f94fb0d8918999d; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <1bf9c204aef4cc55ce46a7ff2d4dc7e5f86551a7; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <2a18dd653284550900b02107c3c7b3ac5e0eb802; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <6fccee2af400edaed9cf349d506c5971d4762739; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <d1175cf4bd2b4c5f7c43f677ea1ce9ad2c18d055; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <d1461f0c9ca0827c03730fe9652ebbf6316a2a95; version=e9862118272aa528e35e54ef9f1e35c217870fd7 <e61934720af4a58ffd43a63ffdd6f3a0bd7d7b47

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS: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

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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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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