CVE-2023-52978
📋 TL;DR
A kernel panic vulnerability in the Linux kernel's RISC-V architecture when kprobes are placed at illegal instruction positions. This allows local users to crash the system by probing invalid memory locations. Affects systems running Linux with RISC-V architecture and kprobes enabled.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash and denial of service through kernel panic, requiring physical or remote reboot.
Likely Case
Local denial of service through system crash when users with kprobe permissions probe invalid addresses.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if kprobes are disabled or users lack kprobe permissions.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit commands shown in CVE description. Requires local access and kprobe permissions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 04a735582095, 12316538b1d1, or 87f48c7ccc73 applied
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04a73558209554da17f46490ec4faaaf1b2bab68
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix. 2. Reboot system. 3. Verify kernel version and that kprobe functionality works without panic.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable kprobes
linuxPrevent kprobe usage by disabling the feature or restricting permissions
echo 0 > /sys/kernel/debug/kprobes/enabled
sysctl -w kernel.kprobes_allowed=0
Restrict kprobe permissions
linuxLimit which users can create kprobes using capabilities or SELinux/AppArmor
setcap -r /bin/bash
chmod 600 /sys/kernel/debug/kprobes/*
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict kprobe permissions to trusted administrators only
- Monitor for kprobe creation attempts and system crashes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if system is RISC-V and kernel version is before fixes. Test with: echo 'p:test kernel_clone+0x16 a0=%a0' >> /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/kprobe_events 2>&1Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version includes fix commits. Test kprobe creation at valid positions works without panic.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning stack corruption
- kprobe creation errors in system logs
- System crash/reboot events
Network Indicators:
- None - local exploit only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "stack corruption" OR "kprobe")