CVE-2023-53605
📋 TL;DR
This CVE-2023-53605 is a memory leak vulnerability in the AMD display driver component of the Linux kernel. It allows attackers to cause resource exhaustion by repeatedly triggering the vulnerable dc_construct_ctx() function, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service. Systems running affected Linux kernel versions with AMD graphics hardware are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with AMD display driver (drm/amd/display)
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
System crash or kernel panic due to memory exhaustion, requiring physical or remote reboot to restore functionality.
Likely Case
Degraded system performance, application crashes, or system instability requiring manual intervention.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper memory limits and monitoring in place, though potential for localized performance issues.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger the vulnerable function, typically through graphics operations or specific system calls.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing the fix commits (1bdea8ee92a6abc650b2189fd5c53f36859baecb and related)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bdea8ee92a6abc650b2189fd5c53f36859baecb
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from official distribution repositories. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version matches patched release.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable AMD display driver module
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable drm/amd/display module (not recommended for systems requiring AMD graphics)
echo 'blacklist amdgpu' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to minimize attack surface
- Implement memory usage monitoring and alerts for abnormal consumption patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and verify if it includes the vulnerable code by examining kernel source or distribution security advisoriesCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm kernel version matches patched release and check that memory leak no longer occurs under stress testing📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oops messages
- Out of memory errors in dmesg or system logs
- Abnormal memory consumption by kernel processes
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "kernel panic" OR "BUG") AND process="amdgpu"🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bdea8ee92a6abc650b2189fd5c53f36859baecb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b8701be1f66064ca72733c5f6e13748cdbf8397
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83ace0dd67ee386be1ddcf59dab49d6d9a54e62e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ae15ebaefc4878d614f10cc56ea672f88cea582
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d473c55ce1975c9e601c25293328a5039225d2b2
