CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2023-53235

Use After Free

Published: Sep 15, 2025 | Modified: Dec 04, 2025
CVSS 3.x
7.8
HIGH
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
6.7 MODERATE
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Ubuntu
MEDIUM

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

drm/tests: helpers: Avoid a driver uaf

when using __drm_kunit_helper_alloc_drm_device() the driver may be dereferenced by device-managed resources up until the device is freed, which is typically later than the kunit-managed resource code frees it. Fix this by simply make the driver device-managed as well.

In short, the sequence leading to the UAF is as follows:

INIT: Code allocates a struct device as a kunit-managed resource. Code allocates a drm driver as a kunit-managed resource. Code allocates a drm device as a device-managed resource.

EXIT: Kunit resource cleanup frees the drm driver Kunit resource cleanup puts the struct device, which starts a device-managed resource cleanup device-managed cleanup calls drm_dev_put() drm_dev_put() dereferences the (now freed) drm driver -> Boom.

Related KASAN message: [55272.551542] ================================================================== [55272.551551] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551603] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888127502828 by task kunit_try_catch/10353

[55272.551612] CPU: 4 PID: 10353 Comm: kunit_try_catch Tainted: G U N 6.5.0-rc7+ #155 [55272.551620] Hardware name: ASUS System Product Name/PRIME B560M-A AC, BIOS 0403 01/26/2021 [55272.551626] Call Trace: [55272.551629] [55272.551633] dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x90 [55272.551639] print_report+0xcf/0x630 [55272.551645] ? _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x5f/0x70 [55272.551652] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551694] kasan_report+0xd7/0x110 [55272.551699] ? drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551742] drm_dev_put.part.0+0xd4/0xe0 [drm] [55272.551783] devres_release_all+0x15d/0x1f0 [55272.551790] ? __pfx_devres_release_all+0x10/0x10 [55272.551797] device_unbind_cleanup+0x16/0x1a0 [55272.551802] device_release_driver_internal+0x3e5/0x540 [55272.551808] ? kobject_put+0x5d/0x4b0 [55272.551814] bus_remove_device+0x1f1/0x3f0 [55272.551819] device_del+0x342/0x910 [55272.551826] ? __pfx_device_del+0x10/0x10 [55272.551830] ? lock_release+0x339/0x5e0 [55272.551836] ? kunit_remove_resource+0x128/0x290 [kunit] [55272.551845] ? __pfx_lock_release+0x10/0x10 [55272.551851] platform_device_del.part.0+0x1f/0x1e0 [55272.551856] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60 [55272.551863] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit] [55272.551871] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x30/0x60 [55272.551877] kunit_cleanup+0x78/0x120 [kunit] [55272.551885] ? __kthread_parkme+0xc1/0x1f0 [55272.551891] ? __pfx_kunit_try_run_case_cleanup+0x10/0x10 [kunit] [55272.551900] ? __pfx_kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x10/0x10 [kunit] [55272.551909] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit] [55272.551919] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0 [55272.551924] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [55272.551929] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70 [55272.551935] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [55272.551940] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 [55272.551948]

[55272.551953] Allocated by task 10351: [55272.551956] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40 [55272.551962] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [55272.551966] __kasan_kmalloc+0x8b/0x90 [55272.551970] __kmalloc+0x5e/0x160 [55272.551976] kunit_kmalloc_array+0x1c/0x50 [kunit] [55272.551984] drm_exec_test_init+0xfa/0x2c0 [drm_exec_test] [55272.551991] kunit_try_run_case+0xdd/0x250 [kunit] [55272.551999] kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x4a/0x90 [kunit] [55272.552008] kthread+0x2e7/0x3c0 [55272.552012] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x70 [55272.552017] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30

[55272.552024] Freed by task 10353: [55272.552027] kasan_save_stack+0x1c/0x40 [55272.552032] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [55272.552036] kasan_save_free_info+0x27/0x40 [55272.552041] __kasan_slab_free+0x106/0x180 [55272.552046] slab_free_freelist_hook+0xb3/0x160 [55272.552051] __kmem_cache_free+0xb2/0x290 [55272.552056] kunit_remove_resource+0x195/0x290 [kunit] [55272.552064] kunit_cleanup+0x7 —truncated—

Weakness

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory “belongs” to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Linux_kernel Linux 6.3 (including) 6.5.5 (excluding)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.6-rc1 (including) 6.6-rc1 (including)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 RedHat kernel-0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 *
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 RedHat kernel-0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 *
Linux Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-aws-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-azure-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-bluefield Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/xenial *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel Ubuntu noble *
Linux-intel Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-iot Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-kvm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lts-xenial Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-realtime-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-realtime-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu noble *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp Ubuntu upstream *

Potential Mitigations

References