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CVE Record

CVE-2023-54136: serial: sprd: Fix DMA buffer leak issue

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: serial: sprd: Fix DMA buffer leak issue Release DMA buffer when _probe() returns failure to avoid memory leak.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue is a memory leak in the Spreadtrum/SPRD serial driver when device setup fails. The available sources describe cleanup of a DMA buffer, not remote code execution or privilege escalation. Business urgency depends on whether your fleet uses kernels and hardware paths that load this driver.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel patch governance unless you operate embedded or mobile-adjacent Linux hardware using SPRD serial support. Escalate if affected devices are unstable, memory constrained, or difficult to patch.

Technical view

The kernel fix releases a DMA buffer when the SPRD serial driver's probe path returns failure. Without that cleanup, failed initialization can leak memory. The public CVE data lists Linux as affected and points to stable kernel commits, but provides no CVSS, CWE, or detailed exploitability analysis.

Likely exposure

Likely limited to Linux systems using the SPRD serial driver or matching hardware/device-tree configurations. General Linux servers are not clearly exposed from the provided evidence unless this driver can be loaded and probe failure can occur.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing, active exploitation, public exploit use, or weaponized proof-of-concept evidence. Treat exploitation status as unconfirmed, not actively exploited.

Researcher notes

Evidence is narrow: a kernel commit message says the DMA buffer must be released on probe failure. No attack preconditions, CVSS vector, CWE, or exploit analysis are included. Avoid assuming broad impact beyond affected Linux builds and driver reachability.

Mitigation direction

  • Check vendor or distribution kernel advisories for backported fixes.
  • Prioritize updating affected Linux kernels that include the SPRD serial driver.
  • Validate whether the SPRD serial driver is built, loaded, or reachable.
  • Track the referenced stable kernel commits in your patch management system.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across affected device classes.
  • Confirm whether SPRD serial driver support is enabled in kernel builds.
  • Review distribution changelogs for the referenced upstream stable commits.
  • Check device logs for repeated SPRD serial probe failures or memory pressure.
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.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2023-54136 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
LinuxLinuxf4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215, f4487db58eb780a52d768f3b36aaaa8fd5839215unaffected
LinuxLinux5.2, 0, 5.4.257, 5.10.195, 5.15.132, 6.1.53, 6.4.16, 6.5.3, 6.6affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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