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CVE-2023-52865 Siemens CVE debrief

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Mediatek clock driver (clk-mt6797) was resolved by adding a null-check for mtk_alloc_clk_data. The issue affects Siemens industrial networking products running SINEC OS, specifically the RUGGEDCOM RST2428P and SCALANCE X-family switches. The vulnerability stems from a missing validation check that could lead to undefined behavior if memory allocation fails. Siemens addressed this through their SINEC OS updates, with the advisory undergoing multiple revisions to correct affected product listings and remove unsupported version references. The CISA advisory ICSA-25-226-15, republished on 2026-02-25, serves as the coordinating disclosure for industrial control system operators.

Vendor
Siemens
Product
RUGGEDCOM RST2428P (6GK6242-6PA00)
CVSS
Unknown
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2025-08-12
Original CVE updated
2026-02-25
Advisory published
2025-08-12
Advisory updated
2026-02-25

Who should care

Industrial control system operators using Siemens SINEC OS-based networking equipment, particularly in critical infrastructure environments. Security teams responsible for OT/ICS asset management and patch coordination should prioritize verification of affected device inventories.

Technical summary

The vulnerability exists in the Mediatek clock driver (clk-mt6797) within the Linux kernel. The fix adds a validation check for the return value of mtk_alloc_clk_data(), which allocates memory for clock data structures. Without this check, a failed memory allocation could result in a null pointer dereference when the returned pointer is subsequently dereferenced. This represents a CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference) class vulnerability. The issue affects Siemens industrial networking products that incorporate the vulnerable kernel code through SINEC OS, including select SCALANCE X-family switches and RUGGEDCOM RST2428P devices.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

  • Review Siemens ProductCERT advisory SSA-613116 for detailed product-specific patch information
  • Verify SINEC OS version on affected SCALANCE and RUGGEDCOM devices against vendor guidance
  • Apply vendor-provided firmware updates for SINEC OS to address the underlying kernel vulnerability
  • Monitor CISA ICS advisories for additional guidance on industrial control system security practices
  • Implement network segmentation for industrial control systems per CISA recommended practices

Evidence notes

The vulnerability description indicates a kernel-level fix in the Mediatek clock driver. The Siemens CSAF advisory (SSA-613116) and CISA ICSA-25-226-15 provide the authoritative product impact assessment. The advisory revision history shows iterative corrections to the affected product list, with the 2026-02-25 republication representing the current authoritative state. The threat categorization in the source marks impact as 'Misinformed' for the listed product IDs.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2023-52865 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-52865

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2023-52865 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-52865

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2025/icsa-25-226-15.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/csaf/ssa-613116.json

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-613116.html

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-25-226-15

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-alerts/ics-alert-10-301-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/industrial-control-systems

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/recommended_practices/NCCIC_ICS-CERT_Defense_in_Depth_2016_S508C.pdf

    Reference

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.