Reboot-time kernel crash via missing KMS object
Published Aug 21, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Linux 6.1 through 6.1.6 allows local users to crash the kernel during headless Adreno system reboot. The msm DRM shutdown routine calls drm_atomic_helper_shutdown without checking whether the headless configuration created a KMS object, so msm_atomic_commit_tail dereferences a null pointer. Reachability requires a system using the msm Adreno driver without display hardware and a reboot or shutdown; the observed consequence is a kernel oops that interrupts orderly restart.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux 6.1 through 6.1.6 allows local users to crash the kernel during headless Adreno system reboot. The msm DRM shutdown routine calls drm_atomic_helper_shutdown without checking whether the headless configuration created a KMS object, so msm_atomic_commit_tail dereferences a null pointer. Reachability requires a system using the msm Adreno driver without display hardware and a reboot or shutdown; the observed consequence is a kernel oops that interrupts orderly restart.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-52911
- Published
- Aug 21, 2024
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 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.
- Affected versionversion=0a58d2ae572adaec8d046f8d35b40c2c32ac7468 <00dd060ab3cf95ca6ede7853bc14397014971b5e
- Affected versionversion=0a58d2ae572adaec8d046f8d35b40c2c32ac7468 <b107b08c41b3076a508113fbaaffe15ce1fe7f65
- Affected versionversion=0e6649a2e31ac157c711d583ec8f5ec59da5de0e
- Affected versionversion=26f9a766f87b33c50ed400a9500cc1dc9aced953
- Affected versionversion=5.19.17 <5.20
- Affected versionversion=6.0.3 <6.1
- Affected versionversion=6.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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