CVE-2023-52614

What it actually does

Local buffer overflow in the devfreq trans_stat_show function caused by unbounded snprintf writes that can exceed PAGE_SIZE, leading to memory corruption or denial of service.

Why it matters to the business

Local users on affected Linux kernels could crash systems or potentially escalate privileges, disrupting operations and requiring urgent kernel updates across fleets.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local shell access reads a devfreq transition statistics sysfs file to trigger trans_stat_show; when the transition table exceeds available buffer space the overflow occurs, allowing memory corruption.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version containing commit 087de000e4f8c878c81d9dd3725f00a1d292980c or later; rebuild and deploy updated kernels on all affected systems.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the running kernel contains the referenced commit, verify trans_stat_show now uses scnprintf with PAGE_SIZE bounds and early-exit logic, and test that reading statistics files no longer produces -EFBIG errors under load.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user access on target system
2. Locate and read a devfreq trans_stat sysfs entry
3. Trigger buffer overflow via large transition data
4. Leverage corruption for privilege escalation or denial of service

How to detect it

Search kernel logs and dmesg for buffer overflow warnings or -EFBIG errors from devfreq, and inspect sysfs reads on devfreq devices for anomalous activity.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on all production systems within the next maintenance window
• Restrict local user access to devfreq sysfs entries where possible
• Monitor vendor advisories for backported fixes in supported distributions