CVE-2023-53049

Kernel crash via failed-init UCSI event dereference

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the UCSI ACPI subsystem in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel through connector-change events. After ucsi_init() fails, ucsi_acpi can still deliver an event to ucsi_connector_change(), which dereferences the NULL ucsi->connector pointer. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access on a system using UCSI ACPI and interrupts service by crashing the kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
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 UCSI ACPI subsystem in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel through connector-change events. After ucsi_init() fails, ucsi_acpi can still deliver an event to ucsi_connector_change(), which dereferences the NULL ucsi->connector pointer. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access on a system using UCSI ACPI and interrupts service by crashing the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53049
Published
May 2, 2025
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. May 2, 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=5.5
  2. Affected versionversion=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <1c5abcb13491da8c049f20462189c12c753ba978
  3. Affected versionversion=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <7dd27aed9c456670b3882877ef17a48195f21693
  4. Affected versionversion=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <7ef0423e43f877a328454059d46763043ce3da44
  5. Affected versionversion=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <a6adfe9bbd6ac11e398b54ccd99a0f8eea09f3c0
  6. Affected versionversion=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <f87fb985452ab2083967103ac00bfd68fb182764

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.5; version=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <1c5abcb13491da8c049f20462189c12c753ba978; version=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <7dd27aed9c456670b3882877ef17a48195f21693; version=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <7ef0423e43f877a328454059d46763043ce3da44; version=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <a6adfe9bbd6ac11e398b54ccd99a0f8eea09f3c0; version=bdc62f2bae8fb0e8e99574de5232f0a3c54a27df <f87fb985452ab2083967103ac00bfd68fb182764

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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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