CVE-2023-53181
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-09-15

Last updated on: 2025-12-02

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dma-buf/dma-resv: Stop leaking on krealloc() failure Currently dma_resv_get_fences() will leak the previously allocated array if the fence iteration got restarted and the krealloc_array() fails. Free the old array by hand, and make sure we still clear the returned *fences so the caller won't end up accessing freed memory. Some (but not all) of the callers of dma_resv_get_fences() seem to still trawl through the array even when dma_resv_get_fences() failed. And let's zero out *num_fences as well for good measure.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-09-15
Last Modified
2025-12-02
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2025-09-15
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-14
NVD
CVE-2023-53181
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 4 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel From 5.16 (inc) to 6.1.42 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.2 (inc) to 6.4.7 (exc)
linux linux_kernel 6.5
linux linux_kernel 6.5
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CWE ID Description
CWE-NVD-CWE-noinfo
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability occurs in the Linux kernel's dma-buf/dma-resv subsystem where a memory leak happens if the krealloc_array() function fails during the dma_resv_get_fences() operation. Specifically, if the fence iteration restarts and krealloc_array() fails, the previously allocated array is leaked because it is not freed properly. Additionally, some callers continue to access the array even after dma_resv_get_fences() fails, which can lead to accessing freed memory. The fix involves manually freeing the old array, clearing the returned fences pointer to prevent use-after-free, and zeroing out the number of fences to avoid further issues.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to memory leaks and potential use-after-free conditions in the Linux kernel, which may cause system instability, crashes, or security risks such as privilege escalation or denial of service if exploited. The improper handling of memory could be leveraged by attackers to compromise system reliability or security.

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