Linux: Double Free
CVE-2023-52691 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 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 afe9f5b871f86d58ecdc45b217b662227d7890d0, 06d95c99d5a4f5accdb79464076efe62e668c706, aeed2b4e4a70c7568d4a5eecd6a109713c0dfbf4 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 0.25% 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 afe9f5b871f86d58ecdc45b217b662227d7890d0 or 06d95c99d5a4f5accdb79464076efe62e668c706 or aeed2b4e4a70c7568d4a5eecd6a109713c0dfbf4 or 2bf47c89bbaca2bae16581ef1b28aaec0ade0334, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 4.19.306 or 5.4.268 or 5.10.209 or 5.15.148, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, afe9f5b871f86d58ecdc45b217b662227d7890d0; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, 06d95c99d5a4f5accdb79464076efe62e668c706; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, aeed2b4e4a70c7568d4a5eecd6a109713c0dfbf4; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, 2bf47c89bbaca2bae16581ef1b28aaec0ade0334; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, f957a1be647f7fc65926cbf572992ec2747a93f2; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, fb1936cb587262cd539e84b34541abb06e42b2f9; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, ca8e2e251c65e5a712f6025e27bd9b26d16e6f4a; 841686df9f7d2942cfd94d024b8591fa3f74ef7c up to, but not including, ac16667237a82e2597e329eb9bc520d1cf9dff30; and 1 more ranges | afe9f5b871f86d58ecdc45b217b662227d7890d0, 06d95c99d5a4f5accdb79464076efe62e668c706, aeed2b4e4a70c7568d4a5eecd6a109713c0dfbf4, 2bf47c89bbaca2bae16581ef1b28aaec0ade0334, f957a1be647f7fc65926cbf572992ec2747a93f2, fb1936cb587262cd539e84b34541abb06e42b2f9 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 4.9 up to, but not including, 4.19.306; 4.20 up to, but not including, 5.4.268; 5.5 up to, but not including, 5.10.209; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.148; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.75; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.14; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.7.2 | 4.19.306, 5.4.268, 5.10.209, 5.15.148, 6.1.75, 6.6.14 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 10.0 | Not stated |
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
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- 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:L/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 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/amd/pm: fix a double-free in si_dpm_init When the allocation of adev->pm.dpm.dyn_state.vddc_dependency_on_dispclk.entries fails, amdgpu_free_extended_power_table is called to free some fields of adev. However, when the control flow returns to si_dpm_sw_init, it goes to label dpm_failed and calls si_dpm_fini, which calls amdgpu_free_extended_power_table again and free those fields again. Thus a double-free is triggered.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
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
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/06d95c99d5a4f5accdb79464076efe62e668c706
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2bf47c89bbaca2bae16581ef1b28aaec0ade0334
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac16667237a82e2597e329eb9bc520d1cf9dff30
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/aeed2b4e4a70c7568d4a5eecd6a109713c0dfbf4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/afe9f5b871f86d58ecdc45b217b662227d7890d0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca8e2e251c65e5a712f6025e27bd9b26d16e6f4a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f957a1be647f7fc65926cbf572992ec2747a93f2
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb1936cb587262cd539e84b34541abb06e42b2f9
Other references
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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