CVE-2023-53617
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Aspeed SoC information driver. When certain error conditions occur during device initialization, the kernel fails to free allocated memory, leading to gradual resource exhaustion. This affects systems using Aspeed-based hardware with vulnerable Linux kernel versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with Aspeed SoC support
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or potential kernel panic/crash.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time, potentially leading to performance degradation or system instability requiring reboot.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and regular reboots; memory leak rate is relatively slow.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires triggering specific error conditions during device initialization. Likely requires local access or existing system compromise.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commit 6e6d847a8ce18ab2fbec4f579f682486a82d2c6b or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e6d847a8ce18ab2fbec4f579f682486a82d2c6b
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution. 2. For custom kernels, apply commit 6e6d847a8ce18ab2fbec4f579f682486a82d2c6b. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Aspeed SoC support
linuxRemove CONFIG_SOC_ASPEED from kernel configuration if Aspeed hardware is not needed
make menuconfig (navigate to Device Drivers -> SOC (System On Chip) specific drivers -> ASPEED SoC drivers and disable)
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement monitoring for memory consumption on Aspeed-based systems
- Schedule regular system reboots to clear accumulated memory leaks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if CONFIG_SOC_ASPEED is enabled. Vulnerable if using unpatched kernel with Aspeed support.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes commit 6e6d847a8ce18ab2fbec4f579f682486a82d2c6b or check with 'zgrep SOC_ASPEED /proc/config.gz' to confirm module status.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- System instability logs
- Memory exhaustion warnings in dmesg
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel panic logs, memory exhaustion alerts, or system reboot events on Aspeed-based systems