In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm/khugepaged: fix ->anon_vma race
If an ->anon_vma is attached to the VMA, collapse_and_free_pmd() requires
it to be locked.
Page table traversal is allowed under any one of the mmap lock, the
anon_vma lock (if the VMA is associated with an anon_vma), and the
mapping lock (if the VMA is associated with a mapping); and so to be
able to remove page tables, we must hold all three of them.
retract_page_tables() bails out if an ->anon_vma is attached, but does
this check before holding the mmap lock (as the comment above the check
explains).
If we racily merged an existing ->anon_vma (shared with a child
process) from a neighboring VMA, subsequent rmap traversals on pages
belonging to the child will be able to see the page tables that we are
concurrently removing while assuming that nothing else can access them.
Repeat the ->anon_vma check once we hold the mmap lock to ensure that
there really is no concurrent page table access.
Hitting this bug causes a lockdep warning in collapse_and_free_pmd(),
in the line "lockdep_assert_held_write(&vma->anon_vma->root->rwsem)".
It can also lead to use-after-free access.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Linux kernel memory-management flaw that can become use-after-free access. It requires local code execution with low privileges, so the main business risk is privilege escalation or system compromise on affected Linux hosts, especially shared servers and multi-user environments.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for Linux fleets that allow local users, containers, or tenant workloads. It is not described as remotely exploitable, but successful local exploitation could threaten confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Technical view
The flaw is in khugepaged page-table collapse handling. A race around VMA anon_vma checks can let page tables be removed while reverse-map traversal may still access them, causing lockdep warnings and possible use-after-free. CVSS is 7.8, local, low complexity, low privilege, no user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or downstream packages carrying the vulnerable code. The bundle lists Linux kernels and stable fix references, but distro-specific package mapping must be verified against vendor advisories.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires local privileges and no user interaction, so risk is highest where untrusted users or workloads can run code on the host.
Researcher notes
Key evidence is the kernel fix description: missing locking around anon_vma state during page-table removal can create a race and use-after-free. The bundle provides stable commit references but not a public proof of concept or confirmed exploitation.
Mitigation direction
Apply kernel updates from the Linux stable tree or your distribution vendor.
Prioritize shared Linux servers, container hosts, CI runners, and multi-user systems.
Confirm updated kernels include the referenced stable fix commits.
Reboot or livepatch hosts as required for kernel fixes to take effect.
If patching is delayed, reduce untrusted local workload access where feasible.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, workstations, and cloud images.
Map installed distro packages to vendor advisories for CVE-2023-52935.
Check whether deployed kernels include one of the referenced stable commits.
Validate that patched systems boot into the intended updated kernel.
Review vulnerability scanner results for stale kernel detections after reboot.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
7Source links
SSVC decision data
CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total
CVSS vector scores
1 official score
We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
CWE-416 · source CWE mapping
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.