CVE-2023-53459
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Publication date: 2025-10-01

Last updated on: 2026-01-16

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: mcp-2221: prevent UAF in delayed work If the device is plugged/unplugged without giving time for mcp_init_work() to complete, we might kick in the devm free code path and thus have unavailable struct mcp_2221 while in delayed work. Canceling the delayed_work item is enough to solve the issue, because cancel_delayed_work_sync will prevent the work item to requeue itself.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-10-01
Last Modified
2026-01-16
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2025-10-01
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-14
NVD
CVE-2023-53459
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.2
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-416 The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to a Use-After-Free condition, which may cause system instability, crashes, or potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service by exploiting the invalid memory access.

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a Use-After-Free (UAF) issue in the Linux kernel's HID driver for the mcp-2221 device. It occurs if the device is plugged or unplugged without allowing the mcp_init_work() function to complete, which can lead to the device's data structure being freed while still in use by delayed work. This can cause the system to access invalid memory. The issue is fixed by canceling the delayed work item to prevent it from re-queuing itself.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate this vulnerability, ensure that the delayed_work item related to mcp-2221 is properly canceled using cancel_delayed_work_sync to prevent the work item from requeuing itself. This prevents use-after-free conditions when the device is plugged or unplugged rapidly.

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