CVE-2023-53277 – This CVE is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerab... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-53277?

CVE-2023-53277 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). This CVE is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the iwl3945 WiFi driver in the Linux kernel. It occurs when create_singlethread_workqueue fails but the return value isn't checked, potentially causing kernel crashes or denial of service. It affects Linux systems using the iwl3945 wireless driver.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the iwl3945 WiFi driver in the Linux kernel. It occurs when create_singlethread_workqueue fails but the return value isn't checked, potentially causing kernel crashes or denial of service. It affects Linux systems using the iwl3945 wireless driver.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel with iwl3945 driver

Versions: Linux kernel versions before the fix commits (specific versions vary by distribution)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects systems using the iwl3945 wireless driver, which is for older Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network adapters.

📦 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...

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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 →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, requiring physical or remote reboot.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability or crash when the iwl3945 driver attempts to initialize, potentially requiring reboot.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minor system instability that may be recoverable without full crash.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or specific driver interaction, not directly exploitable over network.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Could be triggered by local users or through driver initialization issues.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires triggering the specific failure condition in create_singlethread_workqueue, which may require specific system conditions or targeted manipulation.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing the fix commits (e.g., 17e07d6587c55015956862ef3b101fd45fa49fbc and related)

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17e07d6587c55015956862ef3b101fd45fa49fbc

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution's repositories. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify iwl3945 driver loads without issues.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable iwl3945 driver

Linux

Prevent loading of vulnerable driver module

echo 'blacklist iwl3945' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod iwl3945

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Disable or blacklist the iwl3945 kernel module if not needed
Use alternative wireless hardware that doesn't require iwl3945 driver

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check if iwl3945 module is loaded: lsmod | grep iwl3945 AND check kernel version against patched versions

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated and iwl3945 module loads without kernel panics or errors in dmesg

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
NULL pointer dereference errors related to iwl3945

Network Indicators:

Loss of wireless connectivity on affected hardware

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "NULL pointer dereference") AND "iwl3945"

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-53277

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

EPSS Score: 0.01% exploit probability (1th percentile)

Published: September 16, 2025

Last Updated: January 14, 2026

🔗 References

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