CVE-2023-52942

System panic via faulty cpuset subset check

Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A cpuset partitioning flaw in Linux 6.1 through 6.1.10 allows local users to trigger a system panic through cgroup configuration. The update_parent_subparts_cpumask() function incorrectly permits a child partition's cpus_allowed mask to consume every CPU in the parent's effective_cpus mask while the parent still contains tasks. Low-privileged local access to configure the affected cpuset hierarchy is required, and successful triggering panics the host rather than exposing or modifying data.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A cpuset partitioning flaw in Linux 6.1 through 6.1.10 allows local users to trigger a system panic through cgroup configuration. The update_parent_subparts_cpumask() function incorrectly permits a child partition's cpus_allowed mask to consume every CPU in the parent's effective_cpus mask while the parent still contains tasks. Low-privileged local access to configure the affected cpuset hierarchy is required, and successful triggering panics the host rather than exposing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-52942
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2025CVE 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=6.1
  2. Affected versionversion=f0af1bfc27b52a4d42510051154c61bd176a8f06 <a2ab7f2cf5ef8f0c6212a246e681d1fe358cec1f
  3. Affected versionversion=f0af1bfc27b52a4d42510051154c61bd176a8f06 <e5ae8803847b80fe9d744a3174abe2b7bfed222a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.1; version=f0af1bfc27b52a4d42510051154c61bd176a8f06 <a2ab7f2cf5ef8f0c6212a246e681d1fe358cec1f; version=f0af1bfc27b52a4d42510051154c61bd176a8f06 <e5ae8803847b80fe9d744a3174abe2b7bfed222a

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

T1499.004Application 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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