NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2023-54321

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Main Vulnerability Database Vulnerabilities #VU120754

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2023-54321

Published: December 30, 2025 / Updated: December 30, 2025


Vulnerability identifier: #VU120754
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 6.8 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2023-54321
CWE-ID: CWE-476
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability: No public exploit available

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a local user to perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.

The vulnerability exists due to NULL pointer dereference within the device_add() function in drivers/base/core.c. A local user can perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.


Affected software

Linux kernel
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 LTSS Extended
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing ESPOS 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing LTSS 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12
SUSE Manager Server
SUSE Manager Proxy
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro for Rancher
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro
SUSE Linux Enterprise Live Patching
openSUSE Leap
openEuler
kgraft-patch-4_12_14-122_293-default
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150400_24_194-default
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150400_24_194-default-debuginfo
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_48-debugsource
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150500_55_133-default-debuginfo
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150500_55_133-default
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_34-debugsource
ocfs2-kmp-default
ocfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo
kernel-default-devel
kernel-syms
gfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo
kernel-source
kernel-devel
kernel-macros
kernel-default-man
kernel-default-devel-debuginfo
kernel-default-base
cluster-md-kmp-default
dlm-kmp-default
dlm-kmp-default-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-default
kernel-default-base-debuginfo
cluster-md-kmp-default-debuginfo
kernel-default-kgraft
kernel-default-debuginfo
kernel-default-debugsource
kernel-default-kgraft-devel
kernel-default
kernel-tools-debuginfo
kernel-tools-devel
perf
perf-debuginfo
python3-perf
python3-perf-debuginfo
kernel-headers
kernel-debugsource
kernel-debuginfo
bpftool-debuginfo
kernel
kernel-tools
bpftool
kernel-source-rt
kernel-rt
kernel-rt-debuginfo
kernel-rt-debugsource
kernel-default-optional-debuginfo
kernel-obs-build-debugsource
kernel-kvmsmall-debuginfo
kernel-obs-qa
kselftests-kmp-default
kernel-default-livepatch
kernel-kvmsmall-devel-debuginfo
kernel-kvmsmall-devel
kernel-kvmsmall-debugsource
kernel-source-vanilla
kernel-docs-html
kernel-docs
kernel-64kb-extra-debuginfo
dtb-cavium
kernel-64kb-devel
kselftests-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
dtb-altera
dtb-broadcom
dlm-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
dtb-marvell
dlm-kmp-64kb
reiserfs-kmp-64kb
dtb-apm
dtb-allwinner
dtb-sprd
dtb-apple
dtb-amlogic
dtb-arm
dtb-xilinx
ocfs2-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
reiserfs-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
cluster-md-kmp-64kb
kernel-64kb-debugsource
cluster-md-kmp-64kb-debuginfo
dtb-rockchip
kselftests-kmp-64kb
dtb-freescale
kernel-64kb-extra
ocfs2-kmp-64kb
dtb-mediatek
kernel-64kb-debuginfo
dtb-exynos
dtb-amazon
kernel-kvmsmall
kernel-64kb
kernel-obs-build
kernel-default-extra-debuginfo
kernel-default-optional
kernel-default-extra
reiserfs-kmp-default-debuginfo
kselftests-kmp-default-debuginfo
reiserfs-kmp-default
kernel-default-livepatch-devel
kernel-zfcpdump
kernel-zfcpdump-debuginfo
kernel-zfcpdump-debugsource
dtb-aarch64
dtb-amd
dtb-socionext
dtb-hisilicon
kernel-64kb-devel-debuginfo
kernel-64kb-optional-debuginfo
dtb-nvidia
gfs2-kmp-64kb
dtb-lg
dtb-renesas
dtb-qcom
kernel-64kb-optional
kernel-default-base-rebuild
kernel-rt-livepatch-devel
kernel-devel-rt
dlm-kmp-rt-debuginfo
ocfs2-kmp-rt
kernel-rt-extra-debuginfo
kernel-rt_debug-debuginfo
reiserfs-kmp-rt
kernel-rt-extra
cluster-md-kmp-rt-debuginfo
cluster-md-kmp-rt
kernel-rt-livepatch
kernel-rt_debug-devel-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo
dlm-kmp-rt
kernel-rt_debug
kernel-rt_debug-vdso-debuginfo
kernel-rt-vdso-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-rt
ocfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo
kernel-rt-devel
kselftests-kmp-rt
kernel-rt_debug-vdso
kernel-rt_debug-devel
kernel-rt-devel-debuginfo
reiserfs-kmp-rt-debuginfo
kernel-rt-optional
kernel-rt-vdso
kernel-rt-optional-debuginfo
kselftests-kmp-rt-debuginfo
kernel-syms-rt
kernel-rt_debug-debugsource
kernel-kvmsmall-vdso
kernel-default-vdso
kernel-kvmsmall-vdso-debuginfo
kernel-default-vdso-debuginfo

How to mitigate CVE-2023-54321

Install update from vendor's repository.

Linux kernel - addressed in versions 5.15.99, 6.1.16, 6.2.3, 6.3
kgraft-patch-4_12_14-122_293-default - update to 1-8.3.1
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150400_24_194-default - update to 1-150400.9.7.1
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150400_24_194-default-debuginfo - update to 1-150400.9.7.1
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_48-debugsource - update to 1-150400.9.7.1
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150500_55_133-default-debuginfo - update to 1-150500.11.3.1
kernel-livepatch-5_14_21-150500_55_133-default - update to 1-150500.11.3.1
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_34-debugsource - update to 1-150500.11.3.1
ocfs2-kmp-default - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
ocfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-devel - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-syms - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
gfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-source - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-devel - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-macros - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-man - update to 4.12.14-122.293.1
kernel-default-devel-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-base - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1.150400.24.98.3, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1.150500.6.65.1
cluster-md-kmp-default - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dlm-kmp-default - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dlm-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
gfs2-kmp-default - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-base-debuginfo - update to 4.12.14-122.293.1
cluster-md-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-kgraft - update to 4.12.14-122.293.1
kernel-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-debugsource - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-kgraft-devel - update to 4.12.14-122.293.1
kernel-default - addressed in versions 4.12.14-122.293.1, 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-tools-debuginfo - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-tools-devel - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
perf - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
perf-debuginfo - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
python3-perf - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
python3-perf-debuginfo - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-source - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-headers - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-devel - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-debugsource - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-debuginfo - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
bpftool-debuginfo - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-tools - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
bpftool - update to 5.10.0-301.0.0.204
kernel-source-rt - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1, 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1, 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1, 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-debugsource - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1, 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-default-optional-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-obs-build-debugsource - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-obs-qa - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kselftests-kmp-default - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-livepatch - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall-devel-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall-devel - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall-debugsource - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-source-vanilla - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-docs-html - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-docs - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-extra-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-cavium - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-devel - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kselftests-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-altera - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-broadcom - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dlm-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
gfs2-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-marvell - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dlm-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
reiserfs-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-apm - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-allwinner - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-sprd - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-apple - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-amlogic - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-arm - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-xilinx - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
ocfs2-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
reiserfs-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
cluster-md-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-debugsource - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
cluster-md-kmp-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-rockchip - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kselftests-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-freescale - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-extra - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
ocfs2-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-mediatek - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-exynos - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-amazon - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-obs-build - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-extra-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-optional - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-extra - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
reiserfs-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kselftests-kmp-default-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
reiserfs-kmp-default - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-livepatch-devel - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-zfcpdump - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-zfcpdump-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-zfcpdump-debugsource - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-aarch64 - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-amd - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-socionext - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-hisilicon - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-devel-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-optional-debuginfo - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-nvidia - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
gfs2-kmp-64kb - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-lg - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-renesas - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
dtb-qcom - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-64kb-optional - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-base-rebuild - addressed in versions 5.14.21-150400.24.194.1.150400.24.98.3, 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1.150500.6.65.1
kernel-rt-livepatch-devel - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-devel-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
dlm-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
ocfs2-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-extra-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
reiserfs-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-extra - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
cluster-md-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
cluster-md-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-livepatch - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-devel-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
gfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
dlm-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-vdso-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-vdso-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
gfs2-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
ocfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-devel - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kselftests-kmp-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-vdso - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-devel - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-devel-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
reiserfs-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-optional - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-vdso - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt-optional-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kselftests-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-syms-rt - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-rt_debug-debugsource - update to 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1
kernel-kvmsmall-vdso - update to 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-vdso - update to 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-kvmsmall-vdso-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1
kernel-default-vdso-debuginfo - update to 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1

External References

Related Security Bulletins