CVE-2023-52935 – This is a race condition vulnerability in the L... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-52935?

CVE-2023-52935 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). This is a race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memory management subsystem (khugepaged) that can lead to use-after-free access. It affects Linux systems where the kernel is vulnerable, potentially allowing attackers to crash the system or execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability requires local access to exploit.

📋 TL;DR

This is a race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memory management subsystem (khugepaged) that can lead to use-after-free access. It affects Linux systems where the kernel is vulnerable, potentially allowing attackers to crash the system or execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability requires local access to exploit.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux Kernel

Versions: Specific affected versions not explicitly stated in CVE, but references indicate stable kernel patches

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using vulnerable kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires khugepaged functionality to be active (default in many configurations)

📦 What is this software?

Debian Linux by Debian

View all CVEs affecting Debian Linux →

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...

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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 →

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, system crash, or potential privilege escalation leading to full system compromise

🟠

Likely Case

System instability, kernel crashes, or denial of service

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact with proper access controls limiting local user privileges

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access to exploit, not directly exploitable over network

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local users or compromised accounts could exploit this vulnerability

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access and race condition timing to exploit successfully

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Apply kernel patches from provided git references

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/023f47a8250c6bdb4aebe744db4bf7f73414028b

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Identify current kernel version. 2. Apply appropriate kernel patch from provided git references. 3. Rebuild kernel if using custom kernel. 4. Reboot system to load patched kernel.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable khugepaged

Linux

Temporarily disable the khugepaged daemon to mitigate the vulnerability

echo 0 > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/khugepaged/defrag
echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access and implement principle of least privilege
Monitor system logs for kernel panic or crash indicators

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and compare against patched versions in git references

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version after patch application and reboot

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
Use-after-free warnings in kernel logs
System crash/reboot events

Network Indicators:

None - local exploitation only

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "use-after-free" OR "khugepaged")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-52935

CVSS v3 Score: 7.8 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-416

EPSS Score: 0.03% exploit probability (7.3th percentile)

Published: March 27, 2025

Last Updated: November 25, 2025

🔗 References

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