CVE-2023-52934
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memory management subsystem allows improper handling of page table entries during memory collapse operations. This could lead to kernel crashes or potential information disclosure. Systems running affected Linux kernel versions are vulnerable.
💻 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
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, or potential information disclosure through memory corruption.
Likely Case
System instability or crashes when memory management operations race with khugepaged operations.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact or failed memory optimization operations.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires precise timing to trigger the race condition and local access to the system.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits 96aaaf8666010a39430cecf8a65c7ce2908a030f and edb5d0cf5525357652aff6eacd9850b8ced07143
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/96aaaf8666010a39430cecf8a65c7ce2908a030f
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to a kernel version containing the fix commits. 2. Check with your Linux distribution for security updates. 3. Reboot the system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable transparent hugepages
linuxDisable transparent hugepages to prevent MADV_COLLAPSE operations
echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabled
echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or memory management errors
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and verify if it's between vulnerable commits: uname -r and examine kernel source or distribution security advisoriesCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or check with distribution's security update verification tools📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- Memory management errors in dmesg
- System crash reports
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel panic events or memory management errors in system logs