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CVE Record

CVE-2023-52486: drm: Don't unref the same fb many times by mistake due to deadlock handling

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm: Don't unref the same fb many times by mistake due to deadlock handling If we get a deadlock after the fb lookup in drm_mode_page_flip_ioctl() we proceed to unref the fb and then retry the whole thing from the top. But we forget to reset the fb pointer back to NULL, and so if we then get another error during the retry, before the fb lookup, we proceed the unref the same fb again without having gotten another reference. The end result is that the fb will (eventually) end up being freed while it's still in use. Reset fb to NULL once we've unreffed it to avoid doing it again until we've done another fb lookup. This turned out to be pretty easy to hit on a DG2 when doing async flips (and CONFIG_DEBUG_WW_MUTEX_SLOWPATH=y). The first symptom I saw that drm_closefb() simply got stuck in a busy loop while walking the framebuffer list. Fortunately I was able to convince it to oops instead, and from there it was easier to track down the culprit.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-52486 is a Linux kernel DRM graphics bug where error retry handling can release the same framebuffer reference more than once. The source describes eventual freeing of a framebuffer still in use, with observed hangs and kernel oops symptoms. Business risk is mainly system stability for affected Linux graphics workloads, not confirmed remote compromise.

Executive priority

Treat as a planned kernel maintenance item unless critical graphics systems are crashing or exposed to untrusted local users. There is no supplied evidence of active exploitation, but kernel memory lifetime bugs can create operational risk and should not be deferred indefinitely.

Technical view

In drm_mode_page_flip_ioctl(), a deadlock after framebuffer lookup can unref the framebuffer and retry without resetting the pointer to NULL. A later retry error before lookup can unref the same object again, allowing it to be freed while still in use. The report notes this was easy to hit on DG2 with async flips and DEBUG_WW_MUTEX_SLOWPATH.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with DRM page-flip paths reachable, especially graphics stacks using async flips. The bundle lists Linux kernel affected versions and multiple stable backport commits, but does not provide CVSS, CPEs, or distribution-specific package version mapping beyond Debian LTS advisories.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Evidence supports reliability-triggered impact: framebuffer list busy loops, oops, and use-after-free risk in kernel graphics code. No public exploit steps, remote attack path, privilege escalation claim, or weaponized exploitation are provided in the supplied sources.

Researcher notes

The key defect is stale framebuffer pointer reuse after unref during deadlock retry handling. The fix direction is resetting fb to NULL after unref. Severity scoring and exploitability are not provided, so analysis should focus on affected kernel lineage, DRM code reachability, and distro backport status.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux kernel updates containing the referenced stable DRM fix commits.
  • Use distribution kernel advisories, including Debian LTS notices, to identify fixed packages.
  • Prioritize hosts using local graphics, GPU acceleration, or display workloads.
  • Check vendor guidance where kernel version-to-package mapping is unclear.
  • Avoid assuming exploitability beyond the supplied DRM stability impact evidence.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running Linux kernel versions across affected workstation, desktop, and GPU-enabled systems.
  • Confirm installed kernels include the relevant stable commit for each maintained branch.
  • Review distro security advisories for fixed kernel package versions.
  • Check logs for DRM page-flip related oops, hangs, or framebuffer cleanup loops.
  • Verify regression testing for graphics workloads after kernel updates.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
12

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
11Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81c, 29dc0d1de18239cf3ef8bab578b8321ed340d81cunaffected
LinuxLinux4.12, 0, 4.19.307, 5.4.269, 5.10.210, 5.15.149, 6.1.76, 6.6.15, 6.7.3, 6.8affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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