# CVE-2023-54044: spmi: Add a check for remove callback when removing a SPMI driver

> A missing check for a remove callback in the Linux kernel SPMI driver can cause a NULL pointer dereference and system crash when removing a driver.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-54044, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54044, GHSA-vx9r-hw29-38g6, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54044

## What is CVE-2023-54044?

CVE-2023-54044 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 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:

spmi: Add a check for remove callback when removing a SPMI driver

When removing a SPMI driver, there can be a crash due to NULL pointer
dereference if it does not have a remove callback defined. This is
one such call trace observed when removing the QCOM SPMI PMIC driver:

 dump_backtrace.cfi_jt+0x0/0x8
 dump_stack_lvl+0xd8/0x16c
 panic+0x188/0x498
 __cfi_slowpath+0x0/0x214
 __cfi_slowpath+0x1dc/0x214
 spmi_drv_remove+0x16c/0x1e0
 device_release_driver_internal+0x468/0x79c
 driver_detach+0x11c/0x1a0
 bus_remove_driver+0xc4/0x124
 driver_unregister+0x58/0x84
 cleanup_module+0x1c/0xc24 [qcom_spmi_pmic]
 __do_sys_delete_module+0x3ec/0x53c
 __arm64_sys_delete_module+0x18/0x28
 el0_svc_common+0xdc/0x294
 el0_svc+0x38/0x9c
 el0_sync_handler+0x8c/0xf0
 el0_sync+0x1b4/0x1c0

If a driver has all its resources allocated through devm_() APIs and
does not need any other explicit cleanup, it would not require a
remove callback to be defined. Hence, add a check for remove callback
presence before calling it when removing a SPMI driver.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54044?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-54044?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-54044 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54044 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54044 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-54044 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 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-2023-54044 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2023-54044/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54044/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54044
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54044
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54044

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54044/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.