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CVE Record

CVE-2023-54157: binder: fix UAF of alloc->vma in race with munmap()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: binder: fix UAF of alloc->vma in race with munmap() [ cmllamas: clean forward port from commit 015ac18be7de ("binder: fix UAF of alloc->vma in race with munmap()") in 5.10 stable. It is needed in mainline after the revert of commit a43cfc87caaf ("android: binder: stop saving a pointer to the VMA") as pointed out by Liam. The commit log and tags have been tweaked to reflect this. ] In commit 720c24192404 ("ANDROID: binder: change down_write to down_read") binder assumed the mmap read lock is sufficient to protect alloc->vma inside binder_update_page_range(). This used to be accurate until commit dd2283f2605e ("mm: mmap: zap pages with read mmap_sem in munmap"), which now downgrades the mmap_lock after detaching the vma from the rbtree in munmap(). Then it proceeds to teardown and free the vma with only the read lock held. This means that accesses to alloc->vma in binder_update_page_range() now will race with vm_area_free() in munmap() and can cause a UAF as shown in the following KASAN trace: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in vm_insert_page+0x7c/0x1f0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff16204ad00600 by task server/558 CPU: 3 PID: 558 Comm: server Not tainted 5.10.150-00001-gdc8dcf942daa #1 Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) Call trace: dump_backtrace+0x0/0x2a0 show_stack+0x18/0x2c dump_stack+0xf8/0x164 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x9c/0x538 kasan_report+0x120/0x200 __asan_load8+0xa0/0xc4 vm_insert_page+0x7c/0x1f0 binder_update_page_range+0x278/0x50c binder_alloc_new_buf+0x3f0/0xba0 binder_transaction+0x64c/0x3040 binder_thread_write+0x924/0x2020 binder_ioctl+0x1610/0x2e5c __arm64_sys_ioctl+0xd4/0x120 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xac/0x270 do_el0_svc+0x38/0xa0 el0_svc+0x1c/0x2c el0_sync_handler+0xe8/0x114 el0_sync+0x180/0x1c0 Allocated by task 559: kasan_save_stack+0x38/0x6c __kasan_kmalloc.constprop.0+0xe4/0xf0 kasan_slab_alloc+0x18/0x2c kmem_cache_alloc+0x1b0/0x2d0 vm_area_alloc+0x28/0x94 mmap_region+0x378/0x920 do_mmap+0x3f0/0x600 vm_mmap_pgoff+0x150/0x17c ksys_mmap_pgoff+0x284/0x2dc __arm64_sys_mmap+0x84/0xa4 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xac/0x270 do_el0_svc+0x38/0xa0 el0_svc+0x1c/0x2c el0_sync_handler+0xe8/0x114 el0_sync+0x180/0x1c0 Freed by task 560: kasan_save_stack+0x38/0x6c kasan_set_track+0x28/0x40 kasan_set_free_info+0x24/0x4c __kasan_slab_free+0x100/0x164 kasan_slab_free+0x14/0x20 kmem_cache_free+0xc4/0x34c vm_area_free+0x1c/0x2c remove_vma+0x7c/0x94 __do_munmap+0x358/0x710 __vm_munmap+0xbc/0x130 __arm64_sys_munmap+0x4c/0x64 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xac/0x270 do_el0_svc+0x38/0xa0 el0_svc+0x1c/0x2c el0_sync_handler+0xe8/0x114 el0_sync+0x180/0x1c0 [...] ================================================================== To prevent the race above, revert back to taking the mmap write lock inside binder_update_page_range(). One might expect an increase of mmap lock contention. However, binder already serializes these calls via top level alloc->mutex. Also, there was no performance impact shown when running the binder benchmark tests.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-54157 is a Linux kernel Android Binder bug where a memory-management race can leave Binder using a freed VMA pointer. The source shows a KASAN use-after-free trace. No CVSS score, impact rating, or active exploitation evidence is provided, so urgency depends on whether your kernels include Binder and the affected code path.

Executive priority

Medium tracking priority until vendor impact is confirmed. Escalate for Android fleets, embedded devices, or products depending on Binder IPC. The business risk is credible kernel memory corruption, but the source lacks severity scoring and exploitation evidence.

Technical view

Binder’s binder_update_page_range() relied on the mmap read lock to protect alloc->vma. After a munmap behavior change, the VMA can be detached and freed while only the read lock is held, racing with Binder page insertion and causing use-after-free. The kernel fix restores taking the mmap write lock in that path.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux or Android-derived kernels with the Binder driver and affected kernel code. The bundle lists Linux as affected across version data including 4.20, 5.15.115, 6.1.31, 6.3.5, and 6.4, but package-level distro status is not provided.

Exploitation context

The bundle provides a KASAN crash trace demonstrating the race, but does not state active exploitation, public exploit availability, required privileges, or practical impact. KEV is false, so treat exploitation status as unconfirmed rather than active.

Researcher notes

The key race is alloc->vma access in binder_update_page_range() against vm_area_free() during munmap(). The stated fix reverts to the mmap write lock, with the note that Binder already serializes these calls through alloc->mutex and benchmarks showed no performance impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Check Linux, Android, or device-vendor advisories for fixed kernel builds.
  • Prioritize patching Binder-enabled kernels matching the affected version data.
  • Confirm fixes include the referenced stable kernel commits or downstream equivalents.
  • Where Binder is unnecessary, ask the vendor about supported disablement options.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernels and identify systems with Android Binder enabled.
  • Compare running kernel versions against vendor advisories and fixed commit backports.
  • Review kernel build provenance for the referenced stable commit identifiers.
  • Run normal Binder workload tests after applying vendor kernel updates.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

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
5Source links

Vulnerability timeline

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  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
LinuxLinuxdd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f, dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f, dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813f, dd2283f2605e3b3e9c61bcae844b34f2afa4813funaffected
LinuxLinux4.20, 0, 5.15.115, 6.1.31, 6.3.5, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

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