CVE-2023-53127
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a memory leak in the Linux kernel's mpi3mr SCSI driver that occurs during device removal. It allows attackers with local access to potentially exhaust kernel memory resources, leading to system instability or denial of service. Systems using the mpi3mr driver for Broadcom SAS/SATA/NVMe controllers are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with mpi3mr driver
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel memory exhaustion leading to system crash, denial of service, or potential privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Local denial of service through resource exhaustion when mpi3mr devices are repeatedly added/removed.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls preventing local attackers from triggering the device removal path.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger device removal operations. No public exploits are known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 0023972a7593720f8878aed06c03ac9e541078be, ce756daa36e1ba271bb3334267295e447aa57a5c, cf9777be5683c5e55680c089df02ee27d2226aa8
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0023972a7593720f8878aed06c03ac9e541078be
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check with your distribution for kernel updates. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Unload mpi3mr driver
linuxRemove the vulnerable driver if not needed
sudo rmmod mpi3mr
Blacklist mpi3mr driver
linuxPrevent driver from loading at boot
echo 'blacklist mpi3mr' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-mpi3mr.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to prevent triggering device removal operations
- Monitor system memory usage and kernel logs for signs of memory exhaustion
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if mpi3mr driver is loaded: lsmod | grep mpi3mr. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits. Check dmesg for mpi3mr driver loading without errors.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOM (Out of Memory) messages
- mpi3mr driver error messages in dmesg
- System instability or crashes
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("mpi3mr" OR "Out of memory" OR "kernel panic")