CVE-2023-52899

Kernel crash via unguarded DMA descriptor lookup

Published Aug 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux DesignWare AXI DMA driver allows local users to crash the kernel through an exceptional DMA interrupt. The axi_chan_handle_err function uses the result of vchan_next_desc without checking whether the issued-descriptor list returned NULL. Reachability requires the affected driver and a DMA error interrupt with no queued descriptor; dereferencing the absent descriptor produces a kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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 the Linux DesignWare AXI DMA driver allows local users to crash the kernel through an exceptional DMA interrupt. The axi_chan_handle_err function uses the result of vchan_next_desc without checking whether the issued-descriptor list returned NULL. Reachability requires the affected driver and a DMA error interrupt with no queued descriptor; dereferencing the absent descriptor produces a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52899
Published
Aug 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. Aug 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=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <20d0a6d17e85a8a816a64fa7d7cae616f1617833
  2. Affected versionversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <5054d001ffaf76155637c5e5b922c11016cd6a5d
  3. Affected versionversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <51a7ad5b60efac65691729d10745c28fa1016b96
  4. Affected versionversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <53dd833fd0a2d8f0118d01ea063a70652689d31e
  5. Affected versionversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <57054fe516d59d03a7bcf1888e82479ccc244f87
  6. Affected versionversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <f534dc438828cc3f1f8c6895b8bdfbef079521fb
  7. Affected versionversion=4.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <20d0a6d17e85a8a816a64fa7d7cae616f1617833; version=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <5054d001ffaf76155637c5e5b922c11016cd6a5d; version=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <51a7ad5b60efac65691729d10745c28fa1016b96; version=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <53dd833fd0a2d8f0118d01ea063a70652689d31e; version=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <57054fe516d59d03a7bcf1888e82479ccc244f87; version=1fe20f1b84548bbcf48b6659ea171cd46618ea3a <f534dc438828cc3f1f8c6895b8bdfbef079521fb; version=4.17

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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-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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