CVE-2023-53636

HIGH
Published Oct 7, 2025 Modified Feb 3, 2026 CWE-416

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clk: microchip: fix potential UAF in auxdev release callback Similar to commit 1c11289b34ab ("peci: cpu: Fix use-after-free in adev_release()"), the auxiliary device is not torn down in the correct order. If auxiliary_device_add() fails, the release callback will be called twice, resulting in a UAF. Due to timing, the auxdev code in this driver "took inspiration" from the aforementioned commit, and thus its bugs too! Moving auxiliary_device_uninit() to the unregister callback instead avoids the issue.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8
HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-53636? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clk: microchip: fix potential UAF in auxdev release callback Similar to commit 1c11289b34ab ("peci: cpu: Fix use-after-free in adev_release()"), the auxiliary device is not torn down in the correct order. If auxiliary_device_add() fails, the release callback will be called twice, resulting in a UAF. Due to timing, the auxdev code in this driver "took inspiration" from the aforementioned commit, and thus its bugs too! Moving auxiliary_device_uninit() to the unregister callback instead avoids the issue. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2023-53636? +
CVE-2023-53636 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53636? +
CVE-2023-53636 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-53636? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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