CVE-2023-53392
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Intel ISH HID driver causes a kernel panic when dereferencing a NULL pointer during device warm reset. This affects Linux systems with Intel Integrated Sensor Hub (ISH) hardware, particularly those running kernel versions 5.16+. The vulnerability can lead to system crashes and denial of service.
💻 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 →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
System kernel panic leading to complete system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
System crash or reboot when ISH devices undergo warm reset, particularly affecting systems with Chrome OS EC ISHTP devices.
If Mitigated
Minor service interruption if systems have automatic recovery mechanisms, but still causes temporary unavailability.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering a specific race condition during device warm reset with bus driver registration timing.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions with commits 38518593ec55e897abda4b4be77b2ec8ec4447d1, 45b9055a3a3ff6e8c08faad82ea36a8644a81587, or 6c8cc40c588f8080a164d88336b1490279e0f1da
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/38518593ec55e897abda4b4be77b2ec8ec4447d1
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load patched kernel. 3. Verify intel-ish-hid module loads without errors.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable intel-ish-hid module
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable driver if ISH hardware is not required
echo 'blacklist intel_ishtp' > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-intel-ishtp.conf
update-initramfs -u
Downgrade to kernel v5.15 or earlier
linuxRevert to kernel version before the driver loading change that exposed the vulnerability
apt install linux-image-5.15.0-xx-generic
update-grub
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Avoid using systems with Intel ISH hardware if possible
- Implement monitoring for kernel panic events related to ISH drivers
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if intel-ish-hid module is loaded: uname -r && lsmod | grep intel_ishtpCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version is patched: grep -q '38518593ec55e897abda4b4be77b2ec8ec4447d1\|45b9055a3a3ff6e8c08faad82ea36a8644a81587\|6c8cc40c588f8080a164d88336b1490279e0f1da' /proc/version_signature📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages containing 'ishtp_cl_bus_match' or 'intel-ish-hid'
- System crash logs with NULL pointer dereference in ISH driver
Network Indicators:
- No network indicators - local hardware interaction only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops") AND ("ishtp" OR "intel-ish-hid")