CVE-2023-52814 – This CVE is a null pointer dereference vulnerab... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-52814?

CVE-2023-52814 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). This CVE is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the AMD GPU driver within the Linux kernel. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic or system crash on systems with AMD GPUs that don't support RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability) features. The vulnerability affects Linux systems running vulnerable kernel versions with AMD GPU hardware.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the AMD GPU driver within the Linux kernel. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic or system crash on systems with AMD GPUs that don't support RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability) features. The vulnerability affects Linux systems running vulnerable kernel versions with AMD GPU hardware.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel with AMD GPU driver (drm/amdgpu)

Versions: Specific kernel versions containing the vulnerable code (check git commits for exact ranges)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions with affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects systems with AMD GPU hardware. Vulnerability triggers when amdgpu_ras_get_context returns NULL for GPUs without RAS support.

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or system instability.

🟠

Likely Case

System crash or kernel panic requiring reboot, resulting in temporary denial of service.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if proper kernel patches are applied or if system doesn't use affected AMD GPU hardware.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - This is a local kernel vulnerability requiring local access or existing system compromise.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Could be exploited by malicious local users or through other vulnerabilities to cause system crashes.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access or ability to trigger the vulnerable code path. Likely used for denial of service rather than privilege escalation.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing the git commits listed in references

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/80285ae1ec8717b597b20de38866c29d84d321a1

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution. 2. For custom kernels, apply the git commits listed in references. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable AMD GPU driver

linux

Remove or blacklist the amdgpu kernel module if AMD GPU is not required

echo 'blacklist amdgpu' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-amdgpu.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable AMD GPU hardware
Implement strict access controls and monitoring for systems that cannot be patched immediately

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and verify if AMD GPU driver is loaded: lsmod | grep amdgpu

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated beyond vulnerable versions and check git commit history includes the fix commits

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
System crash/reboot events

Network Indicators:

None - this is a local vulnerability

SIEM Query:

Search for kernel panic events or unexpected system reboots on hosts with AMD GPU hardware

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-52814

CVSS v3 Score: 5.5 (MEDIUM)

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

CWE: CWE-476

Published: May 21, 2024

Last Updated: September 16, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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