Linux: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization
CVE-2023-52517 is a high-severity concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions bd1ec7f9983b5cd3c77e0f7cda3fa8aed041af2f, 36b29974a7ad2ff604c24ad348f940506c7b1209, 4e149d524678431638ff378ef6025e4e89b71097 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to bd1ec7f9983b5cd3c77e0f7cda3fa8aed041af2f or 36b29974a7ad2ff604c24ad348f940506c7b1209 or 4e149d524678431638ff378ef6025e4e89b71097 or 1f11f4202caf5710204d334fe63392052783876d, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.134 or 6.1.56 or 6.5.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 345980a3a5e5e1c99fc621e2ce878fb150ad2287 up to, but not including, bd1ec7f9983b5cd3c77e0f7cda3fa8aed041af2f; 345980a3a5e5e1c99fc621e2ce878fb150ad2287 up to, but not including, 36b29974a7ad2ff604c24ad348f940506c7b1209; 345980a3a5e5e1c99fc621e2ce878fb150ad2287 up to, but not including, 4e149d524678431638ff378ef6025e4e89b71097; 345980a3a5e5e1c99fc621e2ce878fb150ad2287 up to, but not including, 1f11f4202caf5710204d334fe63392052783876d; 5.11 | bd1ec7f9983b5cd3c77e0f7cda3fa8aed041af2f, 36b29974a7ad2ff604c24ad348f940506c7b1209, 4e149d524678431638ff378ef6025e4e89b71097, 1f11f4202caf5710204d334fe63392052783876d |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | before 5.15.134; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.56; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.5.6 | 5.15.134, 6.1.56, 6.5.6 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.0 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: spi: sun6i: fix race between DMA RX transfer completion and RX FIFO drain Previously the transfer complete IRQ immediately drained to RX FIFO to read any data remaining in FIFO to the RX buffer. This behaviour is correct when dealing with SPI in interrupt mode. However in DMA mode the transfer complete interrupt still fires as soon as all bytes to be transferred have been stored in the FIFO. At that point data in the FIFO still needs to be picked up by the DMA engine. Thus the drain procedure and DMA engine end up racing to read from RX FIFO, corrupting any data read. Additionally the RX buffer pointer is never adjusted according to DMA progress in DMA mode, thus calling the RX FIFO drain procedure in DMA mode is a bug. Fix corruptions in DMA RX mode by draining RX FIFO only in interrupt mode. Also wait for completion of RX DMA when in DMA mode before returning to ensure all data has been copied to the supplied memory buffer.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization
The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- In languages that support it, use synchronization primitives. Only wrap these around critical code to minimize the impact on performance.
- Use thread-safe capabilities such as the data access abstraction in Spring.
- Minimize the usage of shared resources in order to remove as much complexity as possible from the control flow and to reduce the likelihood of unexpected conditions occurring. Additionally, this will minimize the amount of synchronization necessary and may even help to reduce the likelihood of a denial of service where an attacker may be able to repeatedly trigger a critical section (CWE-400).
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.4 High severity
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