CVE-2023-52467

What it actually does

Null pointer dereference in of_syscon_register() when kasprintf() fails to allocate memory, causing kernel panic or denial of service.

Why it matters to the business

Local denial-of-service crashes on Linux systems using syscon device tree nodes under memory pressure, increasing downtime risk for servers and embedded devices; low urgency given age and low exploit likelihood.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker triggers of_syscon_register() under memory exhaustion conditions so that kasprintf() returns NULL; the subsequent dereference of the NULL pointer crashes the kernel. No named threat actors are known to exploit this path.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to the fixed commit 927626a2073887ee30ba00633260d4d203f8e875 or later stable release containing the kasprintf NULL check.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify kernel source contains the kasprintf return-value check in of_syscon_register(); confirm running kernel version is newer than the vulnerable commit or test with a memory-pressure reproducer that previously triggered the panic.

Typical attack path

1. Gain local shell access on target Linux system
2. Induce memory pressure to force allocation failure
3. Trigger syscon registration via device tree or driver load
4. Cause NULL dereference and kernel oops/panic

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for oops/panic messages referencing of_syscon_register or syscon; correlate with memory-pressure events or driver loads around the crash time.

What your security team should do

• Apply the referenced kernel commit or distribution update immediately on all systems
• Monitor for future Linux kernel memory-safety patches
• Harden local access controls to reduce attack surface for local DoS