CVE-2023-52481: linux kernel — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: errata: Add Cortex-A520 speculative unprivileged load workaround Implement the workaround for ARM Cortex-A520 erratum 2966298. On an affected Cortex-A520 core, a speculatively executed unprivileged load might leak data from a privileged load via a cache side channel. The issue only exists for loads within a translation regime with the same translation (e.g. same ASID and VMID). Therefore, the issue only affects the return to EL0. The workaround is to execute a TLBI before returning to EL0 after all loads of privileged data. A non-shareable TLBI to any address is sufficient. The workaround isn't necessary if page table isolation (KPTI) is enabled, but for simplicity it will be. Page table isolation should normally be disabled for Cortex-A520 as it supports the CSV3 feature and the E0PD feature (used when KASLR is enabled).

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CVSS v3.1 Score

4.7

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	< 6.1.57
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.5.7
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32b0a4ffcaea44a00a61e40c0d1bcc50362aee25 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/471470bc7052d28ce125901877dd10e4c048e513 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e3ae2927b432a3b7c8374f14dbc1bd9ebe4372c https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32b0a4ffcaea44a00a61e40c0d1bcc50362aee25 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/471470bc7052d28ce125901877dd10e4c048e513 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e3ae2927b432a3b7c8374f14dbc1bd9ebe4372c

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-52481? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: errata: Add Cortex-A520 speculative unprivileged load workaround Implement the workaround for ARM Cortex-A520 erratum 2966298. On an affected Cortex-A520 core, a speculatively executed unprivileged load might leak data from a privileged load via a cache side channel. The issue only exists for loads within a translation regime with the same translation (e.g. same ASID and VMID). Therefore, the issue only affects the return to EL0. The workaround is to execute a TLBI before returning to EL0 after all loads of privileged data. A non-shareable TLBI to any address is sufficient. The workaround isn't necessary if page table isolation (KPTI) is enabled, but for simplicity it will be. Page table isolation should normally be disabled for Cortex-A520 as it supports the CSV3 feature and the E0PD feature (used when KASLR is enabled). It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.7 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2023-52481? +

CVE-2023-52481 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.7 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-52481? +

CVE-2023-52481 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-52481? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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CVE-2023-52481