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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53497: media: vsp1: Replace vb2_is_streaming() with vb2_start_streaming_called()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: vsp1: Replace vb2_is_streaming() with vb2_start_streaming_called() The vsp1 driver uses the vb2_is_streaming() function in its .buf_queue() handler to check if the .start_streaming() operation has been called, and decide whether to just add the buffer to an internal queue, or also trigger a hardware run. vb2_is_streaming() relies on the vb2_queue structure's streaming field, which used to be set only after calling the .start_streaming() operation. Commit a10b21532574 ("media: vb2: add (un)prepare_streaming queue ops") changed this, setting the .streaming field in vb2_core_streamon() before enqueuing buffers to the driver and calling .start_streaming(). This broke the vsp1 driver which now believes that .start_streaming() has been called when it hasn't, leading to a crash: [ 881.058705] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000020 [ 881.067495] Mem abort info: [ 881.070290] ESR = 0x0000000096000006 [ 881.074042] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 881.079358] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 881.082414] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 881.085558] FSC = 0x06: level 2 translation fault [ 881.090439] Data abort info: [ 881.093320] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000006 [ 881.097157] CM = 0, WnR = 0 [ 881.100126] user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=000000004fa51000 [ 881.106573] [0000000000000020] pgd=080000004f36e003, p4d=080000004f36e003, pud=080000004f7ec003, pmd=0000000000000000 [ 881.117217] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000006 [#1] PREEMPT SMP [ 881.123494] Modules linked in: rcar_fdp1 v4l2_mem2mem [ 881.128572] CPU: 0 PID: 1271 Comm: yavta Tainted: G B 6.2.0-rc1-00023-g6c94e2e99343 #556 [ 881.138061] Hardware name: Renesas Salvator-X 2nd version board based on r8a77965 (DT) [ 881.145981] pstate: 400000c5 (nZcv daIF -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) [ 881.152951] pc : vsp1_dl_list_add_body+0xa8/0xe0 [ 881.157580] lr : vsp1_dl_list_add_body+0x34/0xe0 [ 881.162206] sp : ffff80000c267710 [ 881.165522] x29: ffff80000c267710 x28: ffff000010938ae8 x27: ffff000013a8dd98 [ 881.172683] x26: ffff000010938098 x25: ffff000013a8dc00 x24: ffff000010ed6ba8 [ 881.179841] x23: ffff00000faa4000 x22: 0000000000000000 x21: 0000000000000020 [ 881.186998] x20: ffff00000faa4000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000 [ 881.194154] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000000000000000 [ 881.201309] x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 746e696174206c65 x12: ffff70000157043d [ 881.208465] x11: 1ffff0000157043c x10: ffff70000157043c x9 : dfff800000000000 [ 881.215622] x8 : ffff80000ab821e7 x7 : 00008ffffea8fbc4 x6 : 0000000000000001 [ 881.222779] x5 : ffff80000ab821e0 x4 : ffff70000157043d x3 : 0000000000000020 [ 881.229936] x2 : 0000000000000020 x1 : ffff00000e4f6400 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 881.237092] Call trace: [ 881.239542] vsp1_dl_list_add_body+0xa8/0xe0 [ 881.243822] vsp1_video_pipeline_run+0x270/0x2a0 [ 881.248449] vsp1_video_buffer_queue+0x1c0/0x1d0 [ 881.253076] __enqueue_in_driver+0xbc/0x260 [ 881.257269] vb2_start_streaming+0x48/0x200 [ 881.261461] vb2_core_streamon+0x13c/0x280 [ 881.265565] vb2_streamon+0x3c/0x90 [ 881.269064] vsp1_video_streamon+0x2fc/0x3e0 [ 881.273344] v4l_streamon+0x50/0x70 [ 881.276844] __video_do_ioctl+0x2bc/0x5d0 [ 881.280861] video_usercopy+0x2a8/0xc80 [ 881.284704] video_ioctl2+0x20/0x40 [ 881.288201] v4l2_ioctl+0xa4/0xc0 [ 881.291525] __arm64_sys_ioctl+0xe8/0x110 [ 881.295543] invoke_syscall+0x68/0x190 [ 881.299303] el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0x88/0x170 [ 881.304105] do_el0_svc+0x4c/0xf0 [ 881.307430] el0_svc+0x4c/0xa0 [ 881.310494] el0t_64_sync_handler+0xbc/0x140 [ 881.314773] el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 [ 881.318450] Code: d50323bf d65f03c0 91008263 f9800071 (885f7c60) [ 881.324551] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- [ 881.329173] note: yavta[1271] exited with preempt_count 1 A different r ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-53497 is a Linux kernel media-driver crash in the VSP1 video pipeline. On affected kernels, the driver can wrongly assume streaming has started and dereference a null pointer. Business risk is mainly service instability on systems using this specific media hardware and driver, not broad enterprise exposure.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel maintenance unless the organization operates Renesas-based media or embedded systems. For those fleets, prioritize patch validation because the failure mode is a kernel crash that can disrupt device availability.

Technical view

The vsp1 driver used vb2_is_streaming() in .buf_queue() as a proxy for whether .start_streaming() had run. A videobuf2 change set the streaming flag earlier, causing vsp1 to run hardware pipeline logic before initialization and crash. The fix replaces that check with vb2_start_streaming_called().

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected 6.2 to 6.4-era kernels with the VSP1 media driver and compatible Renesas video hardware. General servers, cloud workloads, and endpoints without this driver or device path are unlikely to be exposed based on the supplied sources.

Exploitation context

The sources show a kernel NULL pointer dereference during V4L2 streaming on Renesas Salvator-X hardware. KEV is false, and the bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization. Treat this as a likely local crash or denial-of-service risk where the device is present.

Researcher notes

The evidence identifies a regression introduced by commit a10b21532574 and fixed by changing the streaming-state predicate. The provided data lacks CVSS, CWE, privilege requirements, and complete affected-version boundaries, so exposure decisions should be tied to kernel source, vendor advisories, and device presence.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the relevant stable kernel fix or vendor kernel update containing the referenced commits.
  • Prioritize embedded, automotive, camera, and media-processing systems using Renesas VSP1 hardware.
  • If no vendor package is available, request vendor guidance for backport status.
  • Restrict access to affected video device nodes where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions and confirm whether the vsp1 driver is built or loaded.
  • Check vendor kernel changelogs for vb2_start_streaming_called() in the VSP1 driver.
  • Review logs for VSP1 or V4L2 kernel Oops events matching NULL pointer dereference symptoms.
  • Confirm affected media workloads still pass regression testing after patching.
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

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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
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

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

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Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxa10b215325740376ed551814a37d1f8e9d6b1ced, a10b215325740376ed551814a37d1f8e9d6b1ced, a10b215325740376ed551814a37d1f8e9d6b1cedunaffected
LinuxLinux6.2, 0, 6.2.15, 6.3.2, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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