CVE-2023-53166
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-09-15

Last updated on: 2025-11-24

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: power: supply: bq25890: Fix external_power_changed race bq25890_charger_external_power_changed() dereferences bq->charger, which gets sets in bq25890_power_supply_init() like this: bq->charger = devm_power_supply_register(bq->dev, &bq->desc, &psy_cfg); As soon as devm_power_supply_register() has called device_add() the external_power_changed callback can get called. So there is a window where bq25890_charger_external_power_changed() may get called while bq->charger has not been set yet leading to a NULL pointer dereference. This race hits during boot sometimes on a Lenovo Yoga Book 1 yb1-x90f when the cht_wcove_pwrsrc (extcon) power_supply is done with detecting the connected charger-type which happens to exactly hit the small window: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000018 <snip> RIP: 0010:__power_supply_is_supplied_by+0xb/0xb0 <snip> Call Trace: <TASK> __power_supply_get_supplier_property+0x19/0x50 class_for_each_device+0xb1/0xe0 power_supply_get_property_from_supplier+0x2e/0x50 bq25890_charger_external_power_changed+0x38/0x1b0 [bq25890_charger] __power_supply_changed_work+0x30/0x40 class_for_each_device+0xb1/0xe0 power_supply_changed_work+0x5f/0xe0 <snip> Fixing this is easy. The external_power_changed callback gets passed the power_supply which will eventually get stored in bq->charger, so bq25890_charger_external_power_changed() can simply directly use the passed in psy argument which is always valid.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-09-15
Last Modified
2025-11-24
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-09-15
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2023-53166
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.4
linux linux_kernel 6.4
linux linux_kernel 6.4
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-362 The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.
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AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability is a race condition in the Linux kernel's power supply driver for the bq25890 charger. Specifically, the function bq25890_charger_external_power_changed() dereferences a pointer (bq->charger) that may not have been set yet during initialization, leading to a NULL pointer dereference and a kernel crash. This happens because the external_power_changed callback can be called before the charger pointer is initialized, causing the system to attempt to access invalid memory.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash due to a NULL pointer dereference during system boot or power supply changes. This can lead to system instability, unexpected reboots, or failure to properly detect or manage power supply changes, potentially affecting device reliability and availability.


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

The vulnerability is fixed by modifying the external_power_changed callback in the Linux kernel driver for the bq25890 power supply. The fix involves using the passed-in psy argument directly in bq25890_charger_external_power_changed() to avoid a NULL pointer dereference. Immediate mitigation would involve updating the Linux kernel to a version that includes this fix.


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