CVE-2023-52901 usb: xhci: Check endpoint is valid before dereferencing it

Medium 5.5 Published 21 Aug 2024 Updated 11 May 2026

A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel xHCI driver causes a kernel panic when the host controller fails, leading to denial of service.

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

What is CVE-2023-52901?

CVE-2023-52901 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 Aug 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:

usb: xhci: Check endpoint is valid before dereferencing it

When the host controller is not responding, all URBs queued to all endpoints need to be killed. This can cause a kernel panic if we dereference an invalid endpoint.

Fix this by using xhci_get_virt_ep() helper to find the endpoint and checking if the endpoint is valid before dereferencing it.

[233311.853271] xhci-hcd xhci-hcd.1.auto: xHCI host controller not responding, assume dead [233311.853393] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000000000000e8

[233311.853964] pc : xhci_hc_died+0x10c/0x270 [233311.853971] lr : xhci_hc_died+0x1ac/0x270

[233311.854077] Call trace: [233311.854085] xhci_hc_died+0x10c/0x270 [233311.854093] xhci_stop_endpoint_command_watchdog+0x100/0x1a4 [233311.854105] call_timer_fn+0x50/0x2d4 [233311.854112] expire_timers+0xac/0x2e4 [233311.854118] run_timer_softirq+0x300/0xabc [233311.854127] __do_softirq+0x148/0x528 [233311.854135] irq_exit+0x194/0x1a8 [233311.854143] __handle_domain_irq+0x164/0x1d0 [233311.854149] gic_handle_irq.22273+0x10c/0x188 [233311.854156] el1_irq+0xfc/0x1a8 [233311.854175] lpm_cpuidle_enter+0x25c/0x418 [msm_pm] [233311.854185] cpuidle_enter_state+0x1f0/0x764 [233311.854194] do_idle+0x594/0x6ac [233311.854201] cpu_startup_entry+0x7c/0x80 [233311.854209] secondary_start_kernel+0x170/0x198

Weakness: CWE-476

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52901?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2023-52901?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2023-52901 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52901 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-52901, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52901, GHSA-jx88-73qr-g4w7, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52901.