CVE-2023-53452
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's rtw89 WiFi driver allows a kernel panic (system crash) when network device registration and NAPI initialization occur in an unsafe order. This affects Linux systems using Realtek rtw89 WiFi chipsets. The vulnerability can be triggered by normal network operations from userspace.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with rtw89 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to complete system crash and denial of service, requiring physical or remote reboot.
Likely Case
System crash when WiFi interface is brought up, causing temporary service disruption until reboot.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if affected driver not loaded.
🎯 Exploit Status
Triggering requires local access to bring up network interface. No privilege escalation or code execution.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 39712c8aeb79, 47515664ecfb, aa48073c2f99, or b1b90c7df08e
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39712c8aeb79691bcec8bd6ff658cde1651e0803
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing fixes. 2. Reboot system. 3. Verify driver version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable rtw89 driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist rtw89_pci' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtw89.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
Disable WiFi interface
linuxKeep WiFi interface down to prevent trigger
ip link set wlan0 down
systemctl disable NetworkManager-wait-online.service
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Avoid using WiFi interfaces with rtw89 chipsets
- Implement monitoring for kernel panic events and have reboot procedures ready
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if rtw89 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep rtw89. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits. Test bringing WiFi interface up without crash.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- BUG_ON() in napi_enable
- System crash/reboot logs
Network Indicators:
- Sudden loss of WiFi connectivity
- Interface flapping
SIEM Query:
event.category:kernel AND (message:*napi_enable* OR message:*BUG* OR message:*panic*)