CVE-2023-53597
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's CIFS filesystem driver allows resource exhaustion when reconnecting after multiple timeout errors. This affects Linux systems using CIFS/SMB network file sharing. The vulnerability can cause system instability and performance degradation.
💻 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
Kernel memory exhaustion leading to system crashes, denial of service, or potential privilege escalation through memory corruption.
Likely Case
Gradual performance degradation, connection instability, and eventual service disruption for CIFS/SMB file operations.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact with proper monitoring and timely patching.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires network access to CIFS server and ability to trigger timeout conditions. No public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel commits: 57d25e9905c71133e201f6d06b56a3403d4ad433, 69cba9d3c1284e0838ae408830a02c4a063104bc, c55901d381a22300c9922170e59704059f50977b, df31d05f0678cdd0796ea19983a2b93edca18bb0
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/57d25e9905c71133e201f6d06b56a3403d4ad433
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable CIFS mounts
linuxTemporarily disable CIFS/SMB mounts if not essential
umount -a -t cifs
modprobe -r cifs
Reduce timeout threshold
linuxModify CIFS timeout parameters to reduce exposure window
echo 'options cifs timeout=30' > /etc/modprobe.d/cifs.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system memory usage and CIFS connection stability
- Implement network segmentation to limit access to CIFS services
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and CIFS module version: uname -r && modinfo cifs | grep versionCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel contains fix commits: grep -r '57d25e9905c71133e201f6d06b56a3403d4ad433' /usr/src/linux📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel logs showing CIFS reconnection attempts
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- STATUS_IO_TIMEOUT errors in CIFS logs
Network Indicators:
- Multiple SMB timeout packets
- Unusual CIFS reconnection patterns
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("CIFS" AND ("timeout" OR "reconnect" OR "memory"))