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🛡️ CVE-2023-52989 — kernel

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

firewire: fix memory leak for payload of request subaction to IEC 61883-1 FCP region

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

firewire: fix memory leak for payload of request subaction to IEC 61883-1 FCP region

This patch is fix for Linux kernel v2.6.33 or later.

For request subaction to IEC 61883-1 FCP region, Linux FireWire subsystem

have had an issue of use-after-free. The subsystem allows multiple

user space listeners to the region, while data of the payload was likely

released before the listeners execute read(2) to access to it for copying

to user space.

The issue was fixed by a commit 281e20323ab7 ("firewire: core: fix

use-after-free regression in FCP handler"). The object of payload is

duplicated in kernel space for each listener. When the listener executes

ioctl(2) with FW_CDEV_IOC_SEND_RESPONSE request, the object is going to

be released.

However, it causes memory leak since the commit relies on call of

release_request() in drivers/firewire/core-cdev.c. Against the

expectation, the function is never called due to the design of

release_client_resource(). The function delegates release task

to caller when called with non-NULL fourth argument. The implementation

of ioctl_send_response() is the case. It should release the object

explicitly.

This commit fixes the bug.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Affected software

CVE-2023-52989 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 5.16.0 up to 6.1.11)
  • linux-kernel

Timeline and source

Published on 27 March 2025 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

Other advisories for this package

kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

CVE-2023-52989 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity Medium
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2025-03-27
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 5.16.0 6.1.11
linux-kernel — —

Similar Threats

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