CVE-2023-53290
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) sample code. The vulnerability occurs when a file pointer is opened but not properly closed in certain error conditions, potentially leading to resource exhaustion. This affects systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with BPF 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 file descriptor exhaustion, causing denial of service conditions where affected kernel modules or the entire system becomes unresponsive.
Likely Case
Limited resource leakage that may cause performance degradation or instability in BPF-related functionality over time.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and resource limits in place; may cause occasional performance issues in specific BPF operations.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger the specific error condition in the BPF sample code; not trivial to exploit.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing the fix commits referenced in the CVE
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23acb14af1914010dd0aae1bbb7fab28bf518b8e
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable BPF sample code
linuxRemove or disable the vulnerable hbm BPF sample program
rm /samples/bpf/hbm*
Disable BPF sample compilation in kernel config
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict resource limits using ulimit to prevent file descriptor exhaustion
- Monitor file descriptor usage and system performance for anomalies
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and verify if BPF hbm sample code exists and is being usedCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version contains the fix commits or is newer than patched versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel logs showing file descriptor exhaustion
- System performance degradation logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel panic logs, OOM (Out of Memory) events, or abnormal file descriptor counts🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23acb14af1914010dd0aae1bbb7fab28bf518b8e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7560ed6592ff4077528c239c71e91b19de985b97
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7ec2f424f6edad34651137783a0a59eca9aa37e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3e6e252d74f20f6fc610c7fef3ae7dda0109a6f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/edf37bc8b03d3f948e679b2fd2d14464495f5d1b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f2065b8b0a215bc6aa061287a2e3d9eab2446422
