# CVE-2023-53275: ALSA: hda: fix a possible null-pointer dereference due to data race in snd_hdac_regmap_sync()

> A data race in the Linux kernel ALSA HDA driver can cause a null-pointer dereference, leading to a system crash.

- **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:** 16 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 23 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53275, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53275, GHSA-m34j-mgrv-w6rc, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53275

## What is CVE-2023-53275?

CVE-2023-53275 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Sep 2025. 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:

ALSA: hda: fix a possible null-pointer dereference due to data race in snd_hdac_regmap_sync()

The variable codec->regmap is often protected by the lock
codec->regmap_lock when is accessed. However, it is accessed without
holding the lock when is accessed in snd_hdac_regmap_sync():

  if (codec->regmap)

In my opinion, this may be a harmful race, because if codec->regmap is
set to NULL right after the condition is checked, a null-pointer
dereference can occur in the called function regcache_sync():

  map->lock(map->lock_arg); --> Line 360 in drivers/base/regmap/regcache.c

To fix this possible null-pointer dereference caused by data race, the
mutex_lock coverage is extended to protect the if statement as well as the
function call to regcache_sync().

[ Note: the lack of the regmap_lock itself is harmless for the current
  codec driver implementations, as snd_hdac_regmap_sync() is only for
  PM runtime resume that is prohibited during the codec probe.
  But the change makes the whole code more consistent, so it's merged
  as is -- tiwai ]

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53275?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53275?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53275 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53275 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-2023-53275 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53275 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Sep 2025. 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-2023-53275 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-2023-53275/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53275/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53275
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53275
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53275

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53275/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.