CVE-2023-53328
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS3 filesystem driver allows local attackers to cause a kernel panic (denial of service) by triggering specific error conditions during attribute list generation. This affects systems using the NTFS3 driver to mount NTFS filesystems, potentially leading to system crashes.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with NTFS3 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Local attacker causes kernel panic leading to complete system crash and denial of service, requiring physical or remote console access to reboot.
Likely Case
Local user or malicious process triggers kernel panic, causing system instability and requiring reboot to restore functionality.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls, only privileged users could trigger the vulnerability, limiting exposure to authorized personnel.
🎯 Exploit Status
The provided stack trace shows a proof-of-concept (poc) process triggering the vulnerability. Exploitation requires local access and ability to perform specific NTFS filesystem operations.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 4246bbef0442f4a1e974df0ab091f4f33ac69451, 64fab8bce5237ca225ee1ec9dff5cc8c31b0631f, e7799bb4dbe26bfb665f29ea87981708fd6012d8, or fdec309c7672cbee4dc0229ee4cbb33c948a1bdd
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4246bbef0442f4a1e974df0ab091f4f33ac69451
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify NTFS3 driver is updated.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable NTFS3 driver
LinuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable NTFS3 driver module
echo 'blacklist ntfs3' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ntfs3.conf
rmmod ntfs3
Use alternative NTFS driver
LinuxUse NTFS-3G userspace driver instead of kernel NTFS3 driver
apt-get install ntfs-3g
yum install ntfs-3g
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with NTFS filesystems mounted
- Implement strict filesystem permissions and monitor for unusual NTFS operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if NTFS3 module is loaded: uname -r && lsmod | grep ntfs3Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and NTFS3 module version is updated📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning 'ni_create_attr_list'
- NULL pointer dereference errors in kernel logs
- System crash/reboot events following NTFS operations
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("ni_create_attr_list" OR "NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic")