CVE-2023-53203

Kernel crash via NULL virtual-interface dereference

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in the mt7996 Wi-Fi driver in Linux 6.2 through 6.2.2 allows local users to crash the kernel during transmission. mt7996_mac_write_txwi() dereferences the virtual-interface pointer while writing transmit metadata even when that pointer is NULL. Local low-privilege access and an active mt7996 transmit path are required; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, not data access or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the mt7996 Wi-Fi driver in Linux 6.2 through 6.2.2 allows local users to crash the kernel during transmission. mt7996_mac_write_txwi() dereferences the virtual-interface pointer while writing transmit metadata even when that pointer is NULL. Local low-privilege access and an active mt7996 transmit path are required; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, not data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53203
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

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=6.2
  2. Affected versionversion=98686cd21624c75a043e96812beadddf4f6f48e5 <0765b5b4719f0435bb019370b317d2fb8138eb34
  3. Affected versionversion=98686cd21624c75a043e96812beadddf4f6f48e5 <0b8e2d69467f78a7c9d87b452220e87012435e33

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.2; version=98686cd21624c75a043e96812beadddf4f6f48e5 <0765b5b4719f0435bb019370b317d2fb8138eb34; version=98686cd21624c75a043e96812beadddf4f6f48e5 <0b8e2d69467f78a7c9d87b452220e87012435e33

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.

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

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo