CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2023-52504 — Linux Linux Kernel security vulnerability

High CVSS 7.1

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/alternatives: Disable KASAN in apply_alternatives() Fei has reported that KASAN triggers during apply_alternatives() on a 5-level paging machine: BUG: KASAN: out-of-bounds in rcu_is_watching() Read of size 4 at addr ff110003ee6419a0 by task swapper/0/0 ... __asan_load4() rcu_is_watching() trace_hardirqs_on() text_poke_early() apply_alternatives() ... On machines with 5-level paging, cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_LA57) gets patched. It includes KASAN code, where KASAN_SHADOW_START depends on __VIRTUAL_MASK_SHIFT, which is defined with cpu_feature_enabled(). KASAN gets confused when apply_alternatives() patches the KASAN_SHADOW_START users. A test patch that makes KASAN_SHADOW_START static, by replacing __VIRTUAL_MASK_SHIFT with 56, works around the issue. Fix it for real by disabling KASAN while the kernel is patching alternatives. [ mingo: updated the changelog ]

Severity
High
CVSS
7.1 (3.1)
Published
2024-03-02
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
linux/kernel
Weaknesses
CWE-125

Affected products

  • linux / linux_kernel
  • linux / linux_kernel / 6.6

Showing 2 representative product identities from 11 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Buffer bounds, memory safety, and memory corruption

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Identify affected native-code versions, build flags, architectures, parsers, codecs, drivers, and input paths in all shipped artifacts.
  • Determine whether untrusted data reaches the affected routine and the process privilege, sandbox, and network exposure.
  • Confirm statically linked, vendored, firmware, and platform-provided copies, not only package-manager records.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained upstream correction or replace the affected component, then rebuild every dependent artifact from clean inputs.
  • Adopt bounds-checked interfaces, validated sizes and integer conversions, clear ownership, and memory-safe components where practical.
  • Enable supported compiler and runtime hardening and add sanitized tests and fuzz regression seeds derived from non-weaponized fixtures.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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