CVE-2023-52984
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DP83822 PHY driver affects DP83825/DP83826 devices. This allows local attackers to cause a kernel panic or system crash by triggering an interrupt configuration on affected network PHY hardware. Systems using these specific Ethernet PHY chips with vulnerable kernel versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with DP83822 PHY driver
📦 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 →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 requiring physical reboot of affected devices.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when network interrupts are configured on DP83825/26 PHY hardware.
If Mitigated
No impact if systems don't use DP83825/26 PHY chips or have patched kernels.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger interrupt configuration on affected PHY hardware. Not a remote code execution vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits 2cd1e9c013ec56421c58921b1ddf1d2d53bd47fa, 362a2f5531dc0e5b0b5b3e3a541000dbffa75461, 422ae7d9c7221e8d4c8526d0f54106307d69d2dc, or 78901b10522cdf6badf24acf65a892637596bccc
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cd1e9c013ec56421c58921b1ddf1d2d53bd47fa
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable affected PHY hardware
linuxIf DP83825/26 PHY hardware is not essential, disable it in kernel configuration or hardware settings
modprobe -r phy_dp83822
blacklist phy_dp83822 in /etc/modprobe.d/
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local access to systems with affected PHY hardware
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic events related to PHY driver
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if system uses DP83825/26 PHY hardware and has vulnerable kernel version: 'lspci -v | grep -i phy' and 'uname -r'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version contains fix commits: 'uname -r' and check kernel changelog for commit hashes📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference errors in dmesg
- PHY driver crash logs
Network Indicators:
- Sudden network interface disappearance
- Unexpected system reboots
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer" OR "kernel panic" OR "dp83822")