CVE-2023-52929
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's nvmem (non-volatile memory) subsystem. When device registration fails during nvmem initialization, the wp_gpio (write-protect GPIO) resource isn't properly released, causing a kernel memory leak. This affects Linux systems using nvmem functionality.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service through resource depletion.
Likely Case
Intermittent device registration failures could cause gradual memory leaks, potentially leading to system performance degradation over time.
If Mitigated
With proper monitoring and memory limits, impact is limited to occasional resource cleanup issues during device initialization failures.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger specific device initialization failures. No known public exploits.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel trees (commits: 23676ecd2eb377f7c24a6ff578b0f4c7135658b6, 39708bc8da7858de0bed9b3a88b3beb1d1e0b443, 560181d3ace61825f4ca9dd3481d6c0ee6709fa8, 8f9c4b2a3b132bf6698e477aba6ee194b40c75f4)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23676ecd2eb377f7c24a6ff578b0f4c7135658b6
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing fixes. 2. Check with distribution vendor for backported patches. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable nvmem functionality
linuxRemove or disable nvmem module if not required
modprobe -r nvmem_core
echo 'blacklist nvmem_core' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement kernel memory monitoring and alerting for unusual memory consumption patterns
- Restrict local user access to systems where nvmem functionality is critical
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if nvmem module is loaded: lsmod | grep nvmemCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or check with distribution vendor for patch status📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oops messages related to nvmem
- Device registration failure logs
- Memory allocation failure messages
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
kernel: (nvmem OR wp_gpio) AND (fail* OR error OR oops)