powerpc/47x: Fix 47x syscall return crash
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/47x: Fix 47x syscall return crash Eddie reported that newer kernels were crashing during boot on his 476 FSP2 system: kernel tried to execute user page (b7ee2000) - exploit attempt? (uid: 0) BUG: Unable to handle kernel instruction fetch Faulting instruction address: 0xb7ee2000 Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] BE PAGE_SIZE=4K FSP-2 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 61 Comm: mount Not tainted 6.1.55-d23900f.ppcnf-fsp2 #1 Hardware name: ibm,fsp2 476fpe 0x7ff520c0 FSP-2 NIP: b7ee2000 LR: 8c008000 CTR: 00000000 REGS: bffebd83 TRAP: 0400 Not tainted (6.1.55-d23900f.ppcnf-fs p2) MSR: 00000030 <IR,DR> CR: 00001000 XER: 20000000 GPR00: c00110ac bffebe63 bffebe7e bffebe88 8c008000 00001000 00000d12 b7ee2000 GPR08: 00000033 00000000 00000000 c139df10 48224824 1016c314 10160000 00000000 GPR16: 10160000 10160000 00000008 00000000 10160000 00000000 10160000 1017f5b0 GPR24: 1017fa50 1017f4f0 1017fa50 1017f740 1017f630 00000000 00000000 1017f4f0 NIP [b7ee2000] 0xb7ee2000 LR [8c008000] 0x8c008000 Call Trace: Instruction dump: XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- The problem is in ret_from_syscall where the check for icache_44x_need_flush is done. When the flush is needed the code jumps out-of-line to do the flush, and then intends to jump back to continue the syscall return. However the branch back to label 1b doesn't return to the correct location, instead branching back just prior to the return to userspace, causing bogus register values to be used by the rfi. The breakage was introduced by commit 6f76a01173cc ("powerpc/syscall: implement system call entry/exit logic in C for PPC32") which inadvertently removed the "1" label and reused it elsewhere. Fix it by adding named local labels in the correct locations. Note that the return label needs to be outside the ifdef so that CONFIG_PPC_47x=n compiles.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.12 and later | 5.15.137, 6.1.59, 6.5.8, 6.6 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.12 and later Fixed in 5.15.137, 6.1.59, 6.5.8, 6.6 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.12 to before 5.15.137; 5.16 to before 6.1.59; 6.2 to before 6.5.8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.12 to before 5.15.137; 5.16 to before 6.1.59; 6.2 to before 6.5.8 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.137, 6.1.59, 6.5.8, 6.6
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-52499
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8w3f-mchr-v6jh
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2023-52499 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-52499 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8w3f-mchr-v6jh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-52499 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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