CVE-2023-52684
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's QSEECOM driver for Qualcomm Secure Execution Environment (QSEE). When error conditions occur during SCM (Secure Channel Manager) calls, allocated memory isn't properly freed, leading to resource exhaustion. This affects Linux systems using Qualcomm hardware with the vulnerable driver.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with QSEECOM 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
Sustained exploitation could cause kernel memory exhaustion leading to system instability, denial of service, or potential privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Memory leaks under error conditions causing gradual performance degradation and potential system crashes over time.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper memory management and monitoring in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to trigger error conditions in QSEECOM SCM calls, typically requiring local access or compromised process.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits 6c57d7b593c4a4e60db65d5ce0fe1d9f79ccbe9b and 85fdbf6840455be64eac16bdfe0df3368ee3d0f0
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c57d7b593c4a4e60db65d5ce0fe1d9f79ccbe9b
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check your distribution's security advisories for backported patches. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable QSEECOM module
linuxRemove or blacklist the vulnerable qseecom driver if not required
echo 'blacklist qseecom' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-qseecom.conf
rmmod qseecom
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who can execute QSEECOM operations
- Monitor system memory usage and implement alerts for abnormal memory consumption patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if qseecom module is loaded: lsmod | grep qseecom && uname -rCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits or check with distribution's security update verification tools📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer events
- Abnormal memory consumption in /proc/meminfo
- System crash logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom" OR "out of memory" OR "qseecom")