CVE-2023-53349
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ov2740 camera sensor driver. When the ov2740_init_controls() function fails, it doesn't properly clean up allocated resources, causing kernel memory leaks. This affects systems using the ov2740 camera sensor with the vulnerable Linux kernel driver.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with ov2740 camera 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
Sustained memory leaks could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service on affected devices.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time, potentially degrading system performance or causing driver failures when memory becomes scarce.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and restart capabilities; memory leaks would be contained to the specific driver instance.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering the ov2740_init_controls() failure path, which may require specific hardware conditions or driver loading scenarios.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions containing commits: 2d899592ed7829d0d5140853bac4d58742a6b8af, 3969b2ebc66039306f505c7c630c5530800f83c0, 7c405ee63447f14eefcfe12a18aa749abbd596ea, a163ee11345d8322321c28bd61631de32455b987, fc33380ae06f438b652f66b9370b543976ac8a03
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d899592ed7829d0d5140853bac4d58742a6b8af
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update to a Linux kernel version containing the fix commits. 2. For embedded systems: Rebuild kernel with patched driver. 3. For distributions: Apply distribution-provided kernel updates. 4. Verify the ov2740 driver is updated in /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/media/i2c/ov2740.ko
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ov2740 driver
allPrevent loading of the vulnerable ov2740 driver module
echo 'blacklist ov2740' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ov2740.conf
rmmod ov2740 2>/dev/null || true
Monitor memory usage
allImplement monitoring for memory leaks in kernel space
# Monitor kernel memory with tools like slabtop, /proc/meminfo
# Set up alerts for unusual memory consumption patterns
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict monitoring for kernel memory usage and system stability
- Consider disabling camera functionality or using alternative hardware if available
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if ov2740 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep ov2740. Check kernel version: uname -r and compare with affected versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits. Check driver version: modinfo ov2740 | grep version. Monitor for memory leaks after driver usage.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- System instability or crashes after camera usage
- dmesg warnings about memory allocation failures
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local memory management issue
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom" OR "out of memory" OR "slab") AND process="51-i2c-ov2740"🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d899592ed7829d0d5140853bac4d58742a6b8af
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3969b2ebc66039306f505c7c630c5530800f83c0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c405ee63447f14eefcfe12a18aa749abbd596ea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a163ee11345d8322321c28bd61631de32455b987
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fc33380ae06f438b652f66b9370b543976ac8a03
