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CVE Record

CVE-2026-53384: serial: 8250_dw: unregister 8250 port if clk_notifier_register() fails

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: serial: 8250_dw: unregister 8250 port if clk_notifier_register() fails dw8250_probe() registers the 8250 port via serial8250_register_8250_port() and then, if the device has a clock, registers a clock notifier. If clk_notifier_register() fails, probe returns the error but leaves the 8250 port registered. The matching serial8250_unregister_port() lives in dw8250_remove(), which is not called when probe fails, so the port slot stays occupied until the device is rebound or the system is rebooted. The devm-allocated driver data is freed while the port still references it (via the saved private_data and serial_in/serial_out callbacks), so any access to that port slot before a rebind is a use-after-free hazard. Unregister the port on the clk_notifier_register() error path.

CriticalCVSS 9.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux serial-driver cleanup failure can leave a registered port pointing to freed memory. If the clock-notifier setup fails and that stale port is accessed before recovery, the kernel could crash or suffer memory corruption. Exposure depends on use of the affected DesignWare 8250 driver and this uncommon probe-failure path.

Executive priority

Treat as urgent for embedded, appliance, industrial, or server fleets known to use this serial controller. Prioritize confirmation and patching, but avoid assuming universal internet exposure: the vulnerable condition is hardware- and failure-path-dependent, and active exploitation is not evidenced.

Technical view

In dw8250_probe(), the 8250 port remains registered when clk_notifier_register() fails. Driver-managed data is then freed, while the port retains private_data and serial I/O callbacks referencing it, creating a use-after-free hazard. The published correction unregisters the port on that error path.

Likely exposure

Potentially affected systems run a listed Linux kernel and use hardware supported by the 8250 DesignWare serial driver. The vulnerable state requires clock-notifier registration to fail during device probing, followed by access to the stale port before device rebinding or reboot. The bundle does not establish exposure for ordinary Linux hosts lacking that driver path.

Exploitation context

The bundle reports no CISA KEV listing and provides no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit. Although the supplied CVSS 3.1 score is 9.8 with a network vector, the technical description does not establish a remote attack path. Practical exploitability and security impact beyond the stated use-after-free hazard remain insufficiently documented.

Researcher notes

The core defect and correction are clearly described, but the bundle supplies no CWE, exploitation evidence, trigger prevalence, or demonstrated remote reachability. Its affected-version data includes duplicated commit identifiers and ambiguous version boundaries. Researchers should distinguish the supplied maximum CVSS rating from the narrower probe-failure conditions documented in the technical record.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply a vendor-supported kernel update containing the applicable referenced upstream fix.
  • Prioritize systems using the DesignWare 8250 serial driver and affected kernel versions.
  • Consult Linux distribution guidance for corrected package versions and required reboot procedures.
  • Where updating is delayed, avoid unnecessary device rebinding and investigate serial-driver probe failures.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions and systems using the 8250 DesignWare serial driver.
  • Confirm the deployed kernel source or vendor package incorporates the applicable referenced fix.
  • Review boot and kernel diagnostics for failed DesignWare serial-device probing or clock-notifier registration.
  • After updating, confirm the corrected kernel is running and affected devices initialize normally.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

Public sources used

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.

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CVE-2026-53384 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

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
0ADP providers
8Source links

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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
9.8CVSS 3.1CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

9.8Critical
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-53384Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0c, 57f83e5dd6a33c4696699954784f8fee789b1d0cunaffected
LinuxLinux5.19, 0, 6.1.177, 6.6.144, 6.12.95, 6.18.38, 7.0.14, 7.1.2, 7.2-rc1affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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