CVE-2023-52904

Kernel crash via premature subs dereference

Published Aug 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

A NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.15.152 through 5.15.167 allows local users to crash the kernel through ALSA USB audio. In snd_usb_pcm_has_fixed_rate(), chip was initialized from subs->stream->chip before the function checked whether subs was NULL. A local low-privileged user must reach the affected USB-audio fixed-rate path; successful exploitation causes an availability-only kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.15.152 through 5.15.167 allows local users to crash the kernel through ALSA USB audio. In snd_usb_pcm_has_fixed_rate(), chip was initialized from subs->stream->chip before the function checked whether subs was NULL. A local low-privileged user must reach the affected USB-audio fixed-rate path; successful exploitation causes an availability-only kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52904
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=291e9da91403e0e628d7692b5ed505100e7b7706 <92a9c0ad86d47ff4cce899012e355c400f02cfb8
  2. Affected versionversion=5.15.152 <5.15.168
  3. Affected versionversion=bfd36b1d1869859af7ba94dc95ec05e74f40d0b7 <f57204edc10760c935d8d36ea999dc8acf018030
  4. Affected versionversion=e1e0a181aea375edfae2f9a59070f95d904980d1 <a474d4ad59cd4642d1b7e3a6c08cef9eca0992c8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=291e9da91403e0e628d7692b5ed505100e7b7706 <92a9c0ad86d47ff4cce899012e355c400f02cfb8; version=5.15.152 <5.15.168; version=bfd36b1d1869859af7ba94dc95ec05e74f40d0b7 <f57204edc10760c935d8d36ea999dc8acf018030; version=e1e0a181aea375edfae2f9a59070f95d904980d1 <a474d4ad59cd4642d1b7e3a6c08cef9eca0992c8

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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 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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