CVE-2023-53350
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's QAIC accelerator driver. The vulnerability allows local attackers to cause resource exhaustion by repeatedly triggering the slicing configuration operation, potentially leading to denial of service. Only systems with QAIC hardware acceleration enabled are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with QAIC accelerator 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 →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 could exhaust kernel memory through repeated exploitation, causing system instability or kernel panic (denial of service).
Likely Case
Local user could degrade system performance through memory exhaustion, potentially affecting other processes and services.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls, only authorized users could trigger the vulnerability, limiting exposure.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to interact with QAIC driver. No authentication bypass involved.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 2d956177b7c96e62fac762a3b7da4318cde27a73 and df45c3e46cdb41f486eecb4277fbcc4c1ffbf9be applied
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d956177b7c96e62fac762a3b7da4318cde27a73
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load patched kernel. 3. Verify QAIC driver is functioning correctly post-update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable QAIC driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable QAIC accelerator driver
echo 'blacklist qaic' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod qaic
Restrict access to QAIC device
linuxLimit which users can access QAIC device files
chmod 600 /dev/qaic*
setfacl -m u:root:rw /dev/qaic*
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system memory usage for unusual patterns
- Restrict local user access to systems with QAIC hardware
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if QAIC driver is loaded: lsmod | grep qaic. Check kernel version: uname -r and compare with patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits. Test QAIC functionality remains operational.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOM (Out of Memory) messages in dmesg
- Unusual memory consumption patterns in system logs
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("Out of memory" OR "oom-killer") AND process="qaic"