CVE-2023-53206

Kernel crash via PMBus device-type assumption

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel PMBus core in 6.4 through 6.4.7 allows local users to crash the system. _pmbus_get_flags calls _pmbus_is_enabled with a device that is not necessarily a regulator device, but the latter assumes it is and derives an I2C client through that invalid path. Low-privileged local access and a reachable PMBus hardware-monitoring path are required; successful triggering causes an availability-only kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
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 PMBus core in 6.4 through 6.4.7 allows local users to crash the system. _pmbus_get_flags calls _pmbus_is_enabled with a device that is not necessarily a regulator device, but the latter assumes it is and derives an I2C client through that invalid path. Low-privileged local access and a reachable PMBus hardware-monitoring path are required; successful triggering causes an availability-only kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53206
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
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=6.4
  2. Affected versionversion=df5f6b6af01ca326dd4babb287c9580fed0ad3d6 <0bd66784274a287beada2933c2c0fa3a0ddae0d7
  3. Affected versionversion=df5f6b6af01ca326dd4babb287c9580fed0ad3d6 <7444253cacd92412bc8d33d1c9b5401f52cdf0e2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.4; version=df5f6b6af01ca326dd4babb287c9580fed0ad3d6 <0bd66784274a287beada2933c2c0fa3a0ddae0d7; version=df5f6b6af01ca326dd4babb287c9580fed0ad3d6 <7444253cacd92412bc8d33d1c9b5401f52cdf0e2

Published CVSS scores

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
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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