CVE-2023-53384
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the mwifiex WiFi driver in the Linux kernel. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic or system crash when handling specific network packets. Systems using affected versions of the Linux kernel with mwifiex driver enabled are vulnerable.
💻 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 →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 panic leading to denial of service, potentially requiring physical access or remote reboot to restore functionality.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when processing malformed network packets, resulting in temporary service disruption.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact from additional NULL checks, with no security impact when patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to send crafted network packets to the vulnerable system's WiFi interface. Likely requires network adjacency or local network access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in stable kernel versions via the provided git commits
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c57f9ad2c3ed43abb764b0247d610ff7fdb7a00
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to a patched version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify mwifiex driver is updated.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable mwifiex driver
LinuxIf mwifiex WiFi is not needed, blacklist or disable the driver module
echo 'blacklist mwifiex' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod mwifiex
Network segmentation
allIsolate systems using mwifiex drivers from untrusted networks
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit who can send packets to affected systems
- Monitor systems for kernel panics or crashes and have recovery procedures ready
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if mwifiex module is loaded: 'lsmod | grep mwifiex' and check kernel version against patched versionsCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is updated and check git commit history includes the fix commits📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
- System crash/reboot events
- mwifiex driver error messages
Network Indicators:
- Unusual WiFi packet patterns targeting mwifiex systems
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "NULL pointer dereference") AND "mwifiex"🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c57f9ad2c3ed43abb764b0247d610ff7fdb7a00
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/139d285e7695279f030dbb172e2d0245425c86c6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/231086e6a36316b823654f4535653f22d6344420
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35a7a1ce7c7d61664ee54f5239a1f120ab95a87e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e7197e4d6a1bc72a774590d8765909f898be1dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bef85d58f7709896ed8426560ad117a73a37762f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c2509f7c37355e1f0bd5b7087815b845fd383723
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d155c5f64cefacdc6a9a26d40be53ee2903c28ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7fd24b8d1bb54c5bcf583139e11a5e651e0263c
