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CVE Record

CVE-2023-54056: kheaders: Use array declaration instead of char

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kheaders: Use array declaration instead of char Under CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, memcpy() will check the size of destination and source buffers. Defining kernel_headers_data as "char" would trip this check. Since these addresses are treated as byte arrays, define them as arrays (as done everywhere else). This was seen with: $ cat /sys/kernel/kheaders.tar.xz >> /dev/null detected buffer overflow in memcpy kernel BUG at lib/string_helpers.c:1027! ... RIP: 0010:fortify_panic+0xf/0x20 [...] Call Trace: <TASK> ikheaders_read+0x45/0x50 [kheaders] kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x1a4/0x2f0 ...

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue can make the kernel hit a FORTIFY_SOURCE buffer-overflow check when reading generated kernel headers. The observed impact is a kernel BUG, meaning a local read of the kheaders sysfs file may crash the system. The sources do not provide CVSS, confirmed exploitation, or distro-specific package status.

Executive priority

Address during normal kernel patch cycles, faster for multi-user Linux systems or environments where local denial-of-service has high operational impact. There is no cited evidence of remote exploitation or active exploitation in the supplied sources.

Technical view

The kheaders code declared kernel_headers_data as a char while treating related linker-provided addresses as byte arrays. With CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, memcpy destination/source size checking can panic during ikheaders_read, as shown by the /sys/kernel/kheaders.tar.xz read trace. Stable kernel commits change the declaration to arrays.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux kernels in the affected version lineage where kheaders functionality and CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE are present. The bundle lists Linux 5.2 through later stable lines including 5.4.243, 5.10.180, 5.15.111, 6.1.28, 6.2.15, 6.3.2, and 6.4.

Exploitation context

No active exploitation is cited, and the CVE is not marked KEV. The public description shows a local trigger through reading the kheaders sysfs archive, causing a kernel BUG. Treat this mainly as a local denial-of-service risk unless vendor guidance says otherwise.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a FORTIFY_SOURCE-triggered panic in kheaders read handling, fixed by declaring linker symbols as arrays. The source bundle lacks CVSS, CWE, privilege requirements, distro advisories, and exploit-in-the-wild evidence, so avoid extrapolating beyond local crash potential.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor kernel updates containing the referenced stable kernel fix.
  • Prioritize hosts where untrusted local users can access kheaders output.
  • If updates are unavailable, review vendor guidance for disabling kheaders exposure.
  • Track distro advisories because package versions may differ from upstream kernel versions.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions against the affected upstream version list.
  • Confirm whether kheaders functionality and CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE are enabled.
  • Review kernel crash logs for fortify_panic, ikheaders_read, or kheaders.tar.xz indicators.
  • Map installed distro kernels to vendor backports of the referenced commits.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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.

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CVE-2023-54056 mapping review

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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
8Source 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

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

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0, 43d8ce9d65a54846d378545770991e65838981e0unaffected
LinuxLinux5.2, 0, 5.4.243, 5.10.180, 5.15.111, 6.1.28, 6.2.15, 6.3.2, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.