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

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

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-52901, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-52901, GHSA-jx88-73qr-g4w7, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-52901

## 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 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-52901?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 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.

## 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-2023-52901 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-52901 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-2023-52901/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52901/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52901
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52901
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-52901

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52901/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.