CVE-2023-53015

Kernel crash via malformed Betop USB reports

Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows physically proximate attackers to crash a system via a malicious Betop USB device. betopff_init() validates only the aggregate output-report count, while hid_betopff_play() assumes four distinct fields and dereferences a missing field pointer. Exploitation requires connecting a crafted USB HID device and exercising force feedback; the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
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 kernel allows physically proximate attackers to crash a system via a malicious Betop USB device. betopff_init() validates only the aggregate output-report count, while hid_betopff_play() assumes four distinct fields and dereferences a missing field pointer. Exploitation requires connecting a crafted USB HID device and exercising force feedback; the documented consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53015
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1200
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.0
  2. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <07bc32e53c7bd5c91472cc485231ef6274db9b76
  3. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <1a2a47b85cab50a3c146731bfeaf2d860f5344ee
  4. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <28fc6095da22dc88433d79578ae1c495ebe8ca43
  5. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <3782c0d6edf658b71354a64d60aa7a296188fc90
  6. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <7317326f685824c7c29bd80841fd18041af6bb73
  7. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <d3065cc56221d1a5eda237e94eaf2a627b88ab79
  8. Affected versionversion=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <dbab4dba400d6ea9a9697fbbd287adbf7db1dac4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.0; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <07bc32e53c7bd5c91472cc485231ef6274db9b76; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <1a2a47b85cab50a3c146731bfeaf2d860f5344ee; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <28fc6095da22dc88433d79578ae1c495ebe8ca43; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <3782c0d6edf658b71354a64d60aa7a296188fc90; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <7317326f685824c7c29bd80841fd18041af6bb73; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <d3065cc56221d1a5eda237e94eaf2a627b88ab79; version=52cd7785f3cdd2724f4efb5b21dbc75d6f9ccef4 <dbab4dba400d6ea9a9697fbbd287adbf7db1dac4

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1200Hardware Additions

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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