CVE-2023-53168

Service interruption via premature UCSI ACPI timeout

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.16 allows local users to interrupt the system by manipulating a connected Type-C monitor. The UCSI ACPI driver waits only one second for command completion after alternate-mode discovery enters polled mode, causing initialization or connector-status requests to time out. The documented path requires a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 with an LG 27UL850-W monitor connected over Type-C, and unplugging after boot-time initialization failure reaches the dereference.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
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 Linux kernel 5.16 allows local users to interrupt the system by manipulating a connected Type-C monitor. The UCSI ACPI driver waits only one second for command completion after alternate-mode discovery enters polled mode, causing initialization or connector-status requests to time out. The documented path requires a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 with an LG 27UL850-W monitor connected over Type-C, and unplugging after boot-time initialization failure reaches the dereference.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53168
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 2025Record 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=5.16
  2. Affected versionversion=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <02d210f434249a7edbc160969b75df030dc6934d
  3. Affected versionversion=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <1e8525f37871741a52370627633962f8bdcab15a
  4. Affected versionversion=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <8346d21d1d8a63f46f60e6899f4f80b1306acf32

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.16; version=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <02d210f434249a7edbc160969b75df030dc6934d; version=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <1e8525f37871741a52370627633962f8bdcab15a; version=e08065069fc7b074712378a95a3522d557e9bbe1 <8346d21d1d8a63f46f60e6899f4f80b1306acf32

Published CVSS scores

5.3Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
5.5NVDCVSS: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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