CVE-2023-52507 – This CVE-2023-52507 is an out-of-bounds read vu... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-52507?

CVE-2023-52507 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This CVE-2023-52507 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NFC (Near Field Communication) subsystem. It allows attackers to potentially read kernel memory or cause denial of service by providing an invalid protocol value. Affected systems are those running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with NFC functionality enabled.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE-2023-52507 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NFC (Near Field Communication) subsystem. It allows attackers to potentially read kernel memory or cause denial of service by providing an invalid protocol value. Affected systems are those running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with NFC functionality enabled.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific vulnerable kernel versions not explicitly stated in CVE, but patches exist in stable kernel trees

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using vulnerable kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Only vulnerable if NFC subsystem is enabled and compiled into kernel or loaded as module

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory disclosure leading to information leakage, privilege escalation, or system crash/panic

🟠

Likely Case

Local denial of service (kernel panic or system crash) when processing malformed NFC protocol data

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if NFC functionality is disabled or systems are properly patched

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or NFC proximity to exploit

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or malicious NFC interactions could trigger the vulnerability

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access or ability to interact with NFC hardware; exploitation details not publicly documented

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel trees (see git references in CVE)

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/354a6e707e29cb0c007176ee5b8db8be7bd2dee0

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from distribution vendor 2. Rebuild kernel if using custom kernel 3. Reboot system to load new kernel

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable NFC functionality

linux

Remove or disable NFC kernel module to prevent exploitation

rmmod nci
echo 'blacklist nci' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Disable NFC hardware and kernel modules
Restrict physical access to prevent local exploitation

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if NFC modules are loaded: lsmod | grep -i nfc

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated and check patch inclusion in kernel source

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic logs
OOB read errors in kernel logs
NFC subsystem crash messages

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "oops" OR "NFC" OR "nci")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-52507

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-125

Published: March 2, 2024

Last Updated: January 13, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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