CVE-2023-53466
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the MediaTek MT7915 Wi-Fi driver in the Linux kernel. When the mt7915_mcu_exit routine fails to properly clean up memory queues during driver shutdown, it can lead to resource exhaustion. This affects Linux systems using MediaTek MT7915 Wi-Fi chipsets.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with MediaTek MT7915 Wi-Fi 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service on affected devices.
Likely Case
Memory leak gradually consumes kernel resources during driver reloads or system operations, potentially leading to performance degradation or system instability over time.
If Mitigated
With proper monitoring and timely patching, impact is limited to occasional resource cleanup issues without system-wide effects.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger driver shutdown/reload scenarios. No known active exploitation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 3095fe1e1d3198e62a3c7116c4cf7c734871475f, 49bd78282e79ad177d14f37f4049f0605bf92dad, 4cbb876153b63fe248200f734069c6881cf97722
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3095fe1e1d3198e62a3c7116c4cf7c734871475f
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable MT7915 Wi-Fi
linuxBlacklist or disable the mt76 driver module to prevent loading
echo 'blacklist mt76' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod mt76
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor kernel memory usage and system logs for memory leak indicators
- Avoid frequent driver reloads or Wi-Fi interface toggling on affected systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if mt76 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep mt76. Check kernel version: uname -r and compare with patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits. Check dmesg for memory leak messages after driver operations.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOM (Out of Memory) messages
- Driver error messages during mt7915_mcu_exit
- Increasing kernel memory usage without clear cause
Network Indicators:
- Wi-Fi interface instability on MT7915 hardware
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("mt76" OR "mt7915" OR "memory leak")