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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53362: bus: fsl-mc: don't assume child devices are all fsl-mc devices

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bus: fsl-mc: don't assume child devices are all fsl-mc devices Changes in VFIO caused a pseudo-device to be created as child of fsl-mc devices causing a crash [1] when trying to bind a fsl-mc device to VFIO. Fix this by checking the device type when enumerating fsl-mc child devices. [1] Modules linked in: Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP CPU: 6 PID: 1289 Comm: sh Not tainted 6.2.0-rc5-00047-g7c46948a6e9c #2 Hardware name: NXP Layerscape LX2160ARDB (DT) pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : mc_send_command+0x24/0x1f0 lr : dprc_get_obj_region+0xfc/0x1c0 sp : ffff80000a88b900 x29: ffff80000a88b900 x28: ffff48a9429e1400 x27: 00000000000002b2 x26: ffff48a9429e1718 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: 0000000000000000 x23: ffffd59331ba3918 x22: ffffd59331ba3000 x21: 0000000000000000 x20: ffff80000a88b9b8 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000001 x17: 7270642f636d2d6c x16: 73662e3030303030 x15: ffffffffffffffff x14: ffffd59330f1d668 x13: ffff48a8727dc389 x12: ffff48a8727dc386 x11: 0000000000000002 x10: 00008ceaf02f35d4 x9 : 0000000000000012 x8 : 0000000000000000 x7 : 0000000000000006 x6 : ffff80000a88bab0 x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000000 x3 : ffff80000a88b9e8 x2 : ffff80000a88b9e8 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : ffff48a945142b80 Call trace: mc_send_command+0x24/0x1f0 dprc_get_obj_region+0xfc/0x1c0 fsl_mc_device_add+0x340/0x590 fsl_mc_obj_device_add+0xd0/0xf8 dprc_scan_objects+0x1c4/0x340 dprc_scan_container+0x38/0x60 vfio_fsl_mc_probe+0x9c/0xf8 fsl_mc_driver_probe+0x24/0x70 really_probe+0xbc/0x2a8 __driver_probe_device+0x78/0xe0 device_driver_attach+0x30/0x68 bind_store+0xa8/0x130 drv_attr_store+0x24/0x38 sysfs_kf_write+0x44/0x60 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x128/0x1b8 vfs_write+0x334/0x448 ksys_write+0x68/0xf0 __arm64_sys_write+0x1c/0x28 invoke_syscall+0x44/0x108 el0_svc_common.constprop.1+0x94/0xf8 do_el0_svc+0x38/0xb0 el0_svc+0x20/0x50 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x98/0xc0 el0t_64_sync+0x174/0x178 Code: aa0103f4 a9025bf5 d5384100 b9400801 (79401260) ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53362 is a Linux kernel availability issue in the NXP/Freescale fsl-mc bus path. On affected systems, a local user can trigger a kernel crash in a specific VFIO and fsl-mc device scenario. The sources do not show data theft, privilege escalation, or active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted availability risk, not a broad internet-facing emergency. Patch affected appliance, edge, or embedded Linux systems during the next appropriate maintenance window, faster where crashes would disrupt operations.

Technical view

The fsl-mc bus code assumed child devices were all fsl-mc devices. VFIO introduced a pseudo-device under fsl-mc, and enumeration without checking device type could dereference the wrong object path and crash the kernel. The upstream resolution checks the child device type during enumeration.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using NXP Layerscape or similar hardware with fsl-mc devices and VFIO workflows. General Linux servers without fsl-mc hardware or VFIO use are unlikely to be reachable through this bug. Distro kernel backports must be checked separately.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, with high availability impact only. KEV is false in the provided bundle, and no cited source reports exploitation in the wild. The documented impact is a kernel Oops/crash.

Researcher notes

The evidence supports a local denial-of-service condition in a hardware-specific Linux kernel path. Affected-version details in the bundle are not sufficient to name every downstream distro kernel. Validate exposure by hardware, enabled drivers, VFIO usage, and vendor backport status.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a Linux kernel or vendor distro kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize systems with fsl-mc hardware and VFIO enabled or administratively available.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for the exact fixed package version.
  • Restrict unneeded local access to affected administrative device-management paths.
  • If patching is delayed, avoid unnecessary VFIO use with fsl-mc devices.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernels on NXP Layerscape or fsl-mc-capable systems.
  • Confirm whether VFIO and fsl-mc drivers are present and used.
  • Map installed distro kernel builds to vendor advisories or the upstream stable fixes.
  • Review logs for kernel Oops events matching fsl-mc, VFIO, or dprc call traces.
  • Verify post-update kernels include the fsl-mc child device type check.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2023-53362 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:N/I:N/A:H

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
4Source 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:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-53362Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
LinuxLinux3c28a76124b25882411f005924be73795b6ef078, 3c28a76124b25882411f005924be73795b6ef078, 3c28a76124b25882411f005924be73795b6ef078unaffected
LinuxLinux6.1, 0, 6.1.39, 6.4.4, 6.5affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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