CVE-2023-53837

Kernel crash via unguarded snapshot teardown

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows attackers to crash the kernel during MSM DRM teardown on affected branches. The msm_drm_uninit function passes its DRM device to msm_disp_snapshot_destroy even when the local kms pointer is NULL, and the destroy path dereferences that absent state. The fault is limited to early initialization errors or platforms without the DPU controller, with no broader impact published.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.24%
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 attackers to crash the kernel during MSM DRM teardown on affected branches. The msm_drm_uninit function passes its DRM device to msm_disp_snapshot_destroy even when the local kms pointer is NULL, and the destroy path dereferences that absent state. The fault is limited to early initialization errors or platforms without the DPU controller, with no broader impact published.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53837
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 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=5.14
  2. Affected versionversion=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <16e0e6fb4511c004a5a0987d5bd75d9bcfb2b175
  3. Affected versionversion=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <19fe79ae816a7e3400df1eb4d27530bf9b8ae258
  4. Affected versionversion=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <8eca32b5b92a0be956a8934d7eddf4f70c107927
  5. Affected versionversion=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <8f0e1ad5327a3499e7f09157cb714302a856e8a4
  6. Affected versionversion=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <a465353b9250802f87b97123e33a17f51277f0b1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14; version=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <16e0e6fb4511c004a5a0987d5bd75d9bcfb2b175; version=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <19fe79ae816a7e3400df1eb4d27530bf9b8ae258; version=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <8eca32b5b92a0be956a8934d7eddf4f70c107927; version=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <8f0e1ad5327a3499e7f09157cb714302a856e8a4; version=98659487b845c05b6bed85d881713545db674c7c <a465353b9250802f87b97123e33a17f51277f0b1

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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