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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53438: x86/MCE: Always save CS register on AMD Zen IF Poison errors

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/MCE: Always save CS register on AMD Zen IF Poison errors The Instruction Fetch (IF) units on current AMD Zen-based systems do not guarantee a synchronous #MC is delivered for poison consumption errors. Therefore, MCG_STATUS[EIPV|RIPV] will not be set. However, the microarchitecture does guarantee that the exception is delivered within the same context. In other words, the exact rIP is not known, but the context is known to not have changed. There is no architecturally-defined method to determine this behavior. The Code Segment (CS) register is always valid on such IF unit poison errors regardless of the value of MCG_STATUS[EIPV|RIPV]. Add a quirk to save the CS register for poison consumption from the IF unit banks. This is needed to properly determine the context of the error. Otherwise, the severity grading function will assume the context is IN_KERNEL due to the m->cs value being 0 (the initialized value). This leads to unnecessary kernel panics on data poison errors due to the kernel believing the poison consumption occurred in kernel context.

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue affects error handling on AMD Zen-based systems. Certain CPU memory-poison events may be misclassified as kernel-context errors because the kernel does not save the code segment register. The business impact is unnecessary kernel panics, meaning availability loss rather than data theft or privilege escalation.

Executive priority

Handle in the normal kernel patch cycle, with faster action for critical AMD Zen production workloads. There is no cited active exploitation, but the availability impact can be material if kernel panics affect core services.

Technical view

On AMD Zen IF poison consumption errors, MCG_STATUS EIPV/RIPV may be unset although the execution context remains valid. Without saving CS, m->cs stays zero, causing severity grading to assume IN_KERNEL and panic unnecessarily. The fix adds a quirk to always save CS for IF unit poison banks.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernels on AMD Zen-based hardware. The source does not identify affected distributions or cloud instance families. Validate through kernel package advisories and whether the referenced stable commits are included.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, and requires low privileges, with high availability impact only. The source bundle says KEV is false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. Treat this as an availability and reliability risk, not a confirmed exploited vulnerability.

Researcher notes

The key behavior is architectural ambiguity around synchronous machine checks for AMD Zen IF poison errors. The fix relies on a model-specific quirk: CS remains valid even when EIPV/RIPV are unset. Exact distro exposure requires downstream advisory confirmation.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor kernel updates that include the referenced stable Linux fixes.
  • Prioritize AMD Zen-based production systems where unexpected reboots have high business impact.
  • Use distribution advisories to confirm the fixed kernel package for your environment.
  • Schedule reboots or live-patching according to existing kernel maintenance policy.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts running on AMD Zen-based processors.
  • Compare running kernel packages with vendor guidance for CVE-2023-53438.
  • Confirm whether deployed kernels include one of the referenced stable commits.
  • Review machine-check and panic history for unexplained availability events.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
6

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-2023-53438 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
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: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-2023-53438Attack 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
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2unaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.12, 0, 6.1.53, 6.4.16, 6.5.3, 6.6affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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