CVE-2023-53411
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Energy Model (EM) subsystem. When debugfs_lookup() is called without proper cleanup, kernel memory gradually leaks over time. This affects all Linux systems using the affected kernel versions.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time leading to performance degradation and potential system instability.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory management controls in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access to trigger the debugfs_lookup() calls repeatedly to cause memory exhaustion.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commit 30fee10192e1239478a0987bc7ee445d5e980d46 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30fee10192e1239478a0987bc7ee445d5e980d46
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable debugfs if not needed
allMount debugfs with noexec option or unmount if not required for system operation
mount -o remount,noexec /sys/kernel/debug
umount /sys/kernel/debug
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges
- Monitor kernel memory usage and implement alerting for abnormal consumption patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare with patched versions in kernel commit historyCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes commit 30fee10192e1239478a0987bc7ee445d5e980d46 or later📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer events
- Abnormal memory consumption in /proc/meminfo
- System performance degradation logs
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel panic events, memory exhaustion alerts, or abnormal system resource consumption🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30fee10192e1239478a0987bc7ee445d5e980d46
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5100c4efc30636aa48ac517dece3c3b7f84fe367
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/84e4d4885d0ae011860fb599d50d01b8fdca2b87
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0e8c13ccd6a9a636d27353da62c2410c4eca337
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e974e8f1e37d22c0de07374f8ddc84073fef2f1d
