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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53256: firmware: arm_ffa: Fix FFA device names for logical partitions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: firmware: arm_ffa: Fix FFA device names for logical partitions Each physical partition can provide multiple services each with UUID. Each such service can be presented as logical partition with a unique combination of VM ID and UUID. The number of distinct UUID in a system will be less than or equal to the number of logical partitions. However, currently it fails to register more than one logical partition or service within a physical partition as the device name contains only VM ID while both VM ID and UUID are maintained in the partition information. The kernel complains with the below message: | sysfs: cannot create duplicate filename '/devices/arm-ffa-8001' | CPU: 1 PID: 1 Comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 6.3.0-rc7 #8 | Hardware name: FVP Base RevC (DT) | Call trace: | dump_backtrace+0xf8/0x118 | show_stack+0x18/0x24 | dump_stack_lvl+0x50/0x68 | dump_stack+0x18/0x24 | sysfs_create_dir_ns+0xe0/0x13c | kobject_add_internal+0x220/0x3d4 | kobject_add+0x94/0x100 | device_add+0x144/0x5d8 | device_register+0x20/0x30 | ffa_device_register+0x88/0xd8 | ffa_setup_partitions+0x108/0x1b8 | ffa_init+0x2ec/0x3a4 | do_one_initcall+0xcc/0x240 | do_initcall_level+0x8c/0xac | do_initcalls+0x54/0x94 | do_basic_setup+0x1c/0x28 | kernel_init_freeable+0x100/0x16c | kernel_init+0x20/0x1a0 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 | kobject_add_internal failed for arm-ffa-8001 with -EEXIST, don't try to | register things with the same name in the same directory. | arm_ffa arm-ffa: unable to register device arm-ffa-8001 err=-17 | ARM FF-A: ffa_setup_partitions: failed to register partition ID 0x8001 By virtue of being random enough to avoid collisions when generated in a distributed system, there is no way to compress UUID keys to the number of bits required to identify each. We can eliminate '-' in the name but it is not worth eliminating 4 bytes and add unnecessary logic for doing that. Also v1.0 doesn't provide the UUID of the partitions which makes it hard to use the same for the device name. So to keep it simple, let us alloc an ID using ida_alloc() and append the same to "arm-ffa" to make up a unique device name. Also stash the id value in ffa_dev to help freeing the ID later when the device is destroyed.

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel issue in ARM FF-A handling. On affected ARM systems, multiple firmware services behind the same physical partition can be registered with duplicate device names, disrupting correct device setup. The public bundle does not show remote exposure or active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted platform risk, not a broad internet-facing emergency. Prioritize patch verification for ARM systems relying on FF-A firmware services, especially managed infrastructure, appliances, or embedded platforms where kernel updates lag.

Technical view

The arm_ffa firmware driver used only VM ID in device names although partition identity includes VM ID and UUID. Multiple logical partitions under one physical partition could collide in sysfs. The fix allocates a unique ID and appends it to the arm-ffa device name.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on ARM Linux platforms using FF-A firmware partitions and affected kernel branches. The bundle lists Linux 5.14 and affected ranges around 5.15.114, 6.1.31, 6.3.5, and 6.4; confirm exact branch status with vendor advisories.

Exploitation context

No source in the bundle reports active exploitation, and KEV is false. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privilege, no user interaction, with confidentiality impact listed as high. The bundle does not explain a practical attack path.

Researcher notes

The record describes a naming collision in FF-A logical partition registration. The fix changes device naming rather than documenting an exploit primitive. Evidence is insufficient to claim exploitability beyond the published CVSS attributes and kernel registration failure behavior.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels to vendor-supported builds containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for exact package versions and backports.
  • Prioritize ARM platforms using FF-A firmware services.
  • If no vendor patch is available, request vendor guidance for affected ARM FF-A deployments.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory ARM Linux systems and kernel versions.
  • Identify systems using the arm_ffa firmware driver or FF-A firmware partitions.
  • Compare running kernels against vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
  • Review boot logs for arm-ffa duplicate device registration errors.
  • Confirm patched systems register logical partitions with unique device names.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Public sources used

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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CVE-2023-53256 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-53256Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxe781858488b918e30a6ff28e9eab6058b787e3b3, e781858488b918e30a6ff28e9eab6058b787e3b3, e781858488b918e30a6ff28e9eab6058b787e3b3, e781858488b918e30a6ff28e9eab6058b787e3b3unaffected
LinuxLinux5.14, 0, 5.15.114, 6.1.31, 6.3.5, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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