What is CVE-2023-52779?

CVE-2023-52779 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476), affecting Linux kernel versions from 6.5 onward and patched in 6.6.4 and 6.7. CVE-2023-52779 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2023-52779?

CVE-2023-52779 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity. The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.

Is there a patch available for CVE-2023-52779?

Yes, CVE-2023-52779 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.6.4 and 6.7. If you are running Linux kernel 6.5 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

Is CVE-2023-52779 actively exploited?

CVE-2023-52779 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. See MITRE CWE for full details: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/476.html

CVE-2023-52779

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: Pass AT_GETATTR_NOSEC flag to getattr interface function When vfs_getattr_nosec() calls a filesystem's getattr interface function then the 'nosec' should propagate into this function so that vfs_getattr_nosec() can again be called from the filesystem's gettattr rather than vfs_getattr(). The latter would add unnecessary security checks that the initial vfs_getattr_nosec() call wanted to avoid. Therefore, introduce the getattr flag GETATTR_NOSEC and allow to pass with the new getattr_flags parameter to the getattr interface function. In overlayfs and ecryptfs use this flag to determine which one of the two functions to call. In a recent code change introduced to IMA vfs_getattr_nosec() ended up calling vfs_getattr() in overlayfs, which in turn called security_inode_getattr() on an exiting process that did not have current->fs set anymore, which then caused a kernel NULL pointer dereference. With this change the call to security_inode_getattr() can be avoided, thus avoiding the NULL pointer dereference.

Package Linux Kernel

Published 2024-05-21

Last modified 2025-04-02

CVSS version 3.1

Patch available

Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10

Medium

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Vector string

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-476

CVE-2023-52779 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability

What is NULL Pointer Dereference?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 6.5 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.6.4, 6.7 and their respective stable series.

Affected from

≥ 6.5

Fixed in

✓ 6.6.4 6.6.x ✓ 6.7

References

2 total

Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fb0fa08641903304b9d81d52a379ff031dc41d4

Patch
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a924db2d7b5eb69ba08b1a0af46e9f1359a9bdf

Patch

Details

CVE ID CVE-2023-52779

Severity Medium

CVSS score 5.5 / 10

CVSS version 3.1

Published 2024-05-21

Modified 2025-04-02

KEV No

Patch

Yes

Package linux

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-52779?

CVE-2023-52779 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.5 onward and has been patched in 6.6.4 and 6.7. CVE-2023-52779 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2023-52779?

CVE-2023-52779 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
Is there a patch available for CVE-2023-52779?

Yes. CVE-2023-52779 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.6.4 and 6.7. If you are running Linux kernel 6.5 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
Is CVE-2023-52779 actively exploited?

No. CVE-2023-52779 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.