CVE-2023-52563

What it actually does

Failure to free the EDID buffer returned by drm_bridge_get_edid() inside the meson DRM ->hpd_notify callback results in a kernel memory leak on every hot-plug or display detection event.

Why it matters to the business

Systems running affected Linux kernels may experience gradual memory exhaustion on Meson-based hardware, leading to reduced performance, instability, or eventual denial of service after prolonged uptime or repeated display events; the large number of downstream kernel users increases exposure.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access on a Meson DRM system repeatedly triggers display hot-plug or detection events that invoke the leaky hpd_notify callback, causing unbounded allocation of EDID structures until kernel memory is exhausted.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 5.15.134 or later, or apply commit 66cb6d74f5a1b6eafe3370b56bf2cb575a91acbc (or the equivalent backport) from the stable git tree; rebuild and reboot with the fixed kernel.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the running kernel version is at least 5.15.134 or contains commit 66cb6d74f5a1b6eafe3370b56bf2cb575a91acbc; inspect the meson_drv.c source for the added kfree() on the EDID pointer returned by drm_bridge_get_edid().

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user or unprivileged process execution on an affected Linux system using Meson DRM
2. Trigger repeated DRM hot-plug or display detection events
3. Accumulate leaked EDID allocations until memory pressure causes system degradation or crash

How to detect it

Review kernel memory statistics and slab allocator usage for unexpected growth in drm or EDID-related caches; correlate spikes with display hot-plug events in system logs; no public exploitation artifacts are known.

What your security team should do

• Apply the kernel update to 5.15.134 or the referenced commit as soon as possible on all Meson-based systems
• Monitor memory usage trends on affected hardware until patches are deployed
• Prioritize systems with long uptimes or frequent display changes