CVE-2023-53018
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Bluetooth subsystem. When specific Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) termination functions fail, they don't properly free allocated memory, causing gradual resource exhaustion. This affects any Linux system with Bluetooth functionality 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or potential kernel crashes.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time leading to degraded Bluetooth performance and potential system instability requiring reboots.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to trigger specific Bluetooth Low Energy termination operations that fail.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check kernel commits 3aa21311f36d8a2730c7ccef37235e951f23927b and f51a825b9f730a782aa768454906b4468e67b667
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3aa21311f36d8a2730c7ccef37235e951f23927b
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Reboot system. 3. Verify kernel version is updated.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth
linuxTemporarily disable Bluetooth functionality to prevent exploitation.
sudo systemctl stop bluetooth
sudo systemctl disable bluetooth
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth functionality entirely
- Implement strict memory monitoring and alerting for abnormal consumption
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version against patched commits or distribution security advisories.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or check distribution patch status.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel memory allocation failures
- Bluetooth subsystem errors
- OOM killer activity
Network Indicators:
- Abnormal Bluetooth connection termination patterns
SIEM Query:
kernel: "Out of memory" OR "slab allocation failure" AND process:bluetooth