CVE-2023-52586
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DRM/MSM DPU driver where concurrent vblank interrupt enable/disable operations from different threads could lead to improper callback registration. This affects systems using Qualcomm Adreno GPU hardware with the affected kernel versions, potentially causing system instability or crashes.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with DRM/MSM DPU driver
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic or system crash leading to denial of service, potentially allowing privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Graphics subsystem instability, display corruption, or application crashes affecting GPU functionality.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact from mutex locking with stable graphics operation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger concurrent vblank operations through GPU applications.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commit 14f109bf74dd67e1d0469fed859c8e506b0df53f or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14f109bf74dd67e1d0469fed859c8e506b0df53f
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commit. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable affected GPU features
linuxDisable vblank interrupt handling or limit GPU-intensive applications
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with affected hardware
- Monitor system logs for GPU-related crashes or instability
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and confirm MSM DPU driver is loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep msm'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commit: 'uname -r' and check kernel changelog📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- GPU/drm subsystem errors in dmesg
- Application crashes related to graphics
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "drm" OR "msm" OR "GPU")