CVE-2023-53404
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's USB fotg210 driver. When debugfs_lookup() is called without proper cleanup, it causes gradual memory exhaustion over time. This affects any Linux system using the fotg210 USB controller driver.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or potential kernel crashes.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time leading to degraded system performance and potential application failures.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory management controls in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and knowledge of debugfs interface usage. Not a remote code execution vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits 4a71b15744b8f286718722f80b663c06ed909d8a, 55c2ffc534928f4732199617e3b746d79a57898f, 6b4040f452037a7e95472577891d57c6b18c89c5, or 7d2d3bef6d700eb4261fb6761de2c95a9e3c0ac8
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a71b15744b8f286718722f80b663c06ed909d8a
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution vendor. 2. For custom kernels, apply the relevant git commit patches. 3. Rebuild and install the kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable debugfs for fotg210
allPrevent access to the vulnerable debugfs interface
mount -t debugfs none /sys/kernel/debug -o remount,ro
echo 0 > /sys/kernel/debug/fotg210/enable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system memory usage closely for unusual consumption patterns
- Restrict access to debugfs interface to trusted users only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if fotg210 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep fotg210. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes one of the fix commits. Check /proc/version or uname -r against distribution security advisories.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- System performance degradation logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "oom-killer" OR "fotg210")