// For flags

CVE-2023-53235

drm/tests: helpers: Avoid a driver uaf

Severity Score

6.7
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/tests: helpers: Avoid a driver uaf when using __drm_kunit_helper_alloc_drm_device() the driver may be
dereferenced by device-managed resources up until the device is
freed, which is typically later than the kunit-managed resource code
frees it. Fix this by simply make the driver device-managed as well. In short, the sequence leading to the UAF is as follows: INIT:
Code allocates a struct device as a kunit-managed resource.
Code allocates a drm driver as a kunit-managed resource.
Code allocates a drm device as a device-managed resource. EXIT:
Kunit resource cleanup frees the drm driver
Kunit resource cleanup puts the struct device, which starts a device-managed resource cleanup
device-managed cleanup calls drm_dev_put()
drm_dev_put() dereferences the (now freed) drm driver -> Boom. Related KASAN message:
[55272.551542] ==================================================================
[55272.551551] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm]
[55272.551603] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888127502828 by task kunit_try_catch/10353 [55272.551612] CPU: 4 PID: 10353 Comm: kunit_try_catch Tainted: G U N 6.5.0-rc7+ #155
[55272.551620] Hardware name: ASUS System Product Name/PRIME B560M-A AC, BIOS 0403 01/26/2021
[55272.551626] Call Trace:
[55272.551629] <TASK>
[55272.551633] dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x90
[55272.551639] print_report+0xcf/0x630
[55272.551645] ? _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x5f/0x70
[55272.551652] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm]
[55272.551694] kasan_report+0xd7/0x110
[55272.551699] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm]
[55272.551742] drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm]
[55272.551783] devres_release_all+0x15d/0x1f0
[55272.551790] ? __pfx_devres_release_all+0x10/0x10
[55272.551797] device_unbind_cleanup+0x16/0x1a0
[55272.551802] device_release_driver_internal+0x3e5/0x540
[55272.551808] ? kobject_put+0x5d/0x4b0
[55272.551814] bus_remove_device+0x1f1/0x3f0
[55272.551819] device_del+0x342/0x910
[55272.551826] ? __pfx_device_del+0x10/0x10
[55272.551830] ? lock_release+0x339/0x5e0
[55272.551836] ? kunit_remove_resource+0x128/0x290 [kunit]
[55272.551845] ? __pfx_lock_release+0x10/0x10
[55272.551851] platform_device_del.part.0+0x1f/0x1e0
[55272.551856] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60
[55272.551863] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit]
[55272.551871] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60
[55272.551877] kunit_cleanup+0x78/0x120 [kunit]
[55272.551885] ? __kthread_parkme+0xc1/0x1f0
[55272.551891] ? __pfx_kunit_try_run_case_cleanup+0x10/0x10 [kunit]
[55272.551900] ? __pfx_kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x10/0x10 [kunit]
[55272.551909] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit]
[55272.551919] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0
[55272.551924] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[55272.551929] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70
[55272.551935] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[55272.551940] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30
[55272.551948] </TASK> [55272.551953] Allocated by task 10351:
[55272.551956] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40
[55272.551962] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30
[55272.551966] __kasan_kmalloc+0x8b/0x90
[55272.551970] __kmalloc+0x5e/0x160
[55272.551976] kunit_kmalloc_array+0x1c/0x50 [kunit]
[55272.551984] drm_exec_test_init+0xfa/0x2c0 [drm_exec_test]
[55272.551991] kunit_try_run_case+0xdd/0x250 [kunit]
[55272.551999] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit]
[55272.552008] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0
[55272.552012] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70
[55272.552017] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 [55272.552024] Freed by task 10353:
[55272.552027] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40
[55272.552032] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30
[55272.552036] kasan_save_free_info+0x27/0x40
[55272.552041] __kasan_slab_free+0x106/0x180
[55272.552046] slab_free_freelist_hook+0xb3/0x160
[55272.552051] __kmem_cache_free+0xb2/0x290
[55272.552056] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit]
[55272.552064] kunit_cleanup+0x7
---truncated---

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/tests: helpers: Avoid a driver uaf when using __drm_kunit_helper_alloc_drm_device() the driver may be dereferenced by device-managed resources up until the device is freed, which is typically later than the kunit-managed resource code frees it. Fix this by simply make the driver device-managed as well. In short, the sequence leading to the UAF is as follows: INIT: Code allocates a struct device as a kunit-managed resource. Code allocates a drm driver as a kunit-managed resource. Code allocates a drm device as a device-managed resource. EXIT: Kunit resource cleanup frees the drm driver Kunit resource cleanup puts the struct device, which starts a device-managed resource cleanup device-managed cleanup calls drm_dev_put() drm_dev_put() dereferences the (now freed) drm driver -> Boom. Related KASAN message: [55272.551542] ================================================================== [55272.551551] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551603] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888127502828 by task kunit_try_catch/10353 [55272.551612] CPU: 4 PID: 10353 Comm: kunit_try_catch Tainted: G U N 6.5.0-rc7+ #155 [55272.551620] Hardware name: ASUS System Product Name/PRIME B560M-A AC, BIOS 0403 01/26/2021 [55272.551626] Call Trace: [55272.551629] <TASK> [55272.551633] dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x90 [55272.551639] print_report+0xcf/0x630 [55272.551645] ? _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x5f/0x70 [55272.551652] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551694] kasan_report+0xd7/0x110 [55272.551699] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551742] drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551783] devres_release_all+0x15d/0x1f0 [55272.551790] ? __pfx_devres_release_all+0x10/0x10 [55272.551797] device_unbind_cleanup+0x16/0x1a0 [55272.551802] device_release_driver_internal+0x3e5/0x540 [55272.551808] ? kobject_put+0x5d/0x4b0 [55272.551814] bus_remove_device+0x1f1/0x3f0 [55272.551819] device_del+0x342/0x910 [55272.551826] ? __pfx_device_del+0x10/0x10 [55272.551830] ? lock_release+0x339/0x5e0 [55272.551836] ? kunit_remove_resource+0x128/0x290 [kunit] [55272.551845] ? __pfx_lock_release+0x10/0x10 [55272.551851] platform_device_del.part.0+0x1f/0x1e0 [55272.551856] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60 [55272.551863] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit] [55272.551871] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60 [55272.551877] kunit_cleanup+0x78/0x120 [kunit] [55272.551885] ? __kthread_parkme+0xc1/0x1f0 [55272.551891] ? __pfx_kunit_try_run_case_cleanup+0x10/0x10 [kunit] [55272.551900] ? __pfx_kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x10/0x10 [kunit] [55272.551909] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit] [55272.551919] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0 [55272.551924] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [55272.551929] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70 [55272.551935] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [55272.551940] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 [55272.551948] </TASK> [55272.551953] Allocated by task 10351: [55272.551956] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40 [55272.551962] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [55272.551966] __kasan_kmalloc+0x8b/0x90 [55272.551970] __kmalloc+0x5e/0x160 [55272.551976] kunit_kmalloc_array+0x1c/0x50 [kunit] [55272.551984] drm_exec_test_init+0xfa/0x2c0 [drm_exec_test] [55272.551991] kunit_try_run_case+0xdd/0x250 [kunit] [55272.551999] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit] [55272.552008] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0 [55272.552012] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70 [55272.552017] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 [55272.552024] Freed by task 10353: [55272.552027] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40 [55272.552032] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [55272.552036] kasan_save_free_info+0x27/0x40 [55272.552041] __kasan_slab_free+0x106/0x180 [55272.552046] slab_free_freelist_hook+0xb3/0x160 [55272.552051] __kmem_cache_free+0xb2/0x290 [55272.552056] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit] [55272.552064] kunit_cleanup+0x7 ---truncated---

This update provides the initial livepatch for this kernel update. This update does not contain any fixes and will be updated with livepatches later.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
High
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-09-15 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-09-15 CVE Published
  • 2025-09-15 CVE Updated
  • 2025-10-17 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-416: Use After Free
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.3 < 6.5.5
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.5.5"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.3 < 6.6
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.6"
en
Affected