CVE-2023-53666 ASoC: codecs: wcd938x: fix missing mbhc init error handling
A missing error check in the Linux kernel WCD938x codec driver allows a local attacker to trigger a null pointer dereference, causing a system crash.
- 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-2023-53666?
CVE-2023-53666 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Oct 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:
ASoC: codecs: wcd938x: fix missing mbhc init error handling
MBHC initialisation can fail so add the missing error handling to avoid dereferencing an error pointer when later configuring the jack:
Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address fffffffffffffff8
pc : wcd_mbhc_start+0x28/0x380 [snd_soc_wcd_mbhc] lr : wcd938x_codec_set_jack+0x28/0x48 [snd_soc_wcd938x]
Call trace: wcd_mbhc_start+0x28/0x380 [snd_soc_wcd_mbhc] wcd938x_codec_set_jack+0x28/0x48 [snd_soc_wcd938x] snd_soc_component_set_jack+0x28/0x8c [snd_soc_core] qcom_snd_wcd_jack_setup+0x7c/0x19c [snd_soc_qcom_common] sc8280xp_snd_init+0x20/0x2c [snd_soc_sc8280xp] snd_soc_link_init+0x28/0x90 [snd_soc_core] snd_soc_bind_card+0x628/0xbfc [snd_soc_core] snd_soc_register_card+0xec/0x104 [snd_soc_core] devm_snd_soc_register_card+0x4c/0xa4 [snd_soc_core] sc8280xp_platform_probe+0xf0/0x108 [snd_soc_sc8280xp]
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53666?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53666?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2023-53666 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53666 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-53666, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53666, GHSA-75gq-3wgg-m886, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53666.