CVE-2023-52730
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SDIO (Secure Digital Input Output) subsystem. When certain error conditions occur during SDIO function initialization, kernel memory allocations are not properly released, leading to resource exhaustion over time. This affects all Linux systems using SDIO devices, particularly embedded systems and servers with SDIO hardware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 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 →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
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or kernel panic/crash.
Likely Case
Gradual memory leak during SDIO device initialization failures, potentially causing performance degradation or system instability over time.
If Mitigated
With proper monitoring and restart policies, impact is limited to temporary service disruption during memory pressure events.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to trigger SDIO initialization failures, typically through hardware manipulation or fault injection
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel trees via provided git commits
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e06cf04239e202248c8fa356bf11449dc73cfbd
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to patched kernel version from your distribution's repository. 2. For custom kernels, apply patches from provided git commits. 3. Recompile and install kernel. 4. Reboot system.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable SDIO functionality
linuxRemove SDIO support from kernel configuration if not needed
Remove CONFIG_MMC_SDIO=y from kernel config and recompile
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor kernel memory usage and implement automatic restart policies for memory exhaustion
- Disable or remove SDIO hardware from vulnerable systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and verify if SDIO patches are applied. Use 'uname -r' and compare with patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fixes from provided git commits. Check for memory leak patterns using kernel memory monitoring tools.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOM (Out of Memory) messages
- SDIO initialization failure logs
- Increasing kernel memory usage without corresponding allocations
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "OOM" OR "sdio" AND "fail")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e06cf04239e202248c8fa356bf11449dc73cfbd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30716d9f0fa1766e522cf24c8a456244e4fc9931
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c7858adada31dbed042448cff6997dd6efc472a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/605d9fb9556f8f5fb4566f4df1480f280f308ded
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/761db46b29b496946046d8cb33c7ea6de6bef36e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/92ff03c2563c9b57a027c744750f3b7d2f261c58
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f855d31bb38d663c3ba672345d7cce9324ba3b72
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e06cf04239e202248c8fa356bf11449dc73cfbd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30716d9f0fa1766e522cf24c8a456244e4fc9931
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c7858adada31dbed042448cff6997dd6efc472a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/605d9fb9556f8f5fb4566f4df1480f280f308ded
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/761db46b29b496946046d8cb33c7ea6de6bef36e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/92ff03c2563c9b57a027c744750f3b7d2f261c58
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f855d31bb38d663c3ba672345d7cce9324ba3b72
