# CVE-2023-1079: Use after free in Linux kernel

> A malicious USB device can trigger a use-after-free in the Linux kernel Asus keyboard driver, potentially leading to memory corruption and code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 19 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** AZL-25798, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-1079, GHSA-2679-jq7r-8cph, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-1079

## What is CVE-2023-1079?

CVE-2023-1079 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. A use-after-free may be triggered in asus_kbd_backlight_set when plugging/disconnecting in a malicious USB device, which advertises itself as an Asus device. Similarly to the previous known CVE-2023-25012, but in asus devices, the work_struct may be scheduled by the LED controller while the device is disconnecting, triggering a use-after-free on the struct asus_kbd_leds *led structure. A malicious USB device may exploit the issue to cause memory corruption with controlled data.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-1079?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-1079?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-1079 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-1079 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-1079 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-1079 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-1079 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1079/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1079/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-1079
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1079
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-1079

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1079/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.