# CVE-2023-52864: platform/x86: wmi: Fix opening of char device

> A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel WMI driver allows local attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52864, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52864, GHSA-w33v-fh8v-9mhx, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52864

## What is CVE-2023-52864?

CVE-2023-52864 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

platform/x86: wmi: Fix opening of char device

Since commit fa1f68db6ca7 ("drivers: misc: pass miscdevice pointer via
file private data"), the miscdevice stores a pointer to itself inside
filp->private_data, which means that private_data will not be NULL when
wmi_char_open() is called. This might cause memory corruption should
wmi_char_open() be unable to find its driver, something which can
happen when the associated WMI device is deleted in wmi_free_devices().

Fix the problem by using the miscdevice pointer to retrieve the WMI
device data associated with a char device using container_of(). This
also avoids wmi_char_open() picking a wrong WMI device bound to a
driver with the same name as the original driver.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52864?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-52864?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-52864 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52864 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-2023-52864 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-52864 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 May 2024. 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-2023-52864 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-2023-52864/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52864/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52864
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52864
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52864

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52864/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.