CVE-2023-52645

What it actually does

Race condition between genpd registration of Mediatek power domains and subsequent power-on/off operations during driver probe, allowing concurrent access that can corrupt domain state.

Why it matters to the business

Unexpected kernel crashes or denial of service on Linux systems using Mediatek SoCs, potentially disrupting device boot or runtime power management with high operational impact on embedded and mobile deployments.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access triggers concurrent genpd power operations and driver probe sequences to hit the unprotected race window, leading to kernel panic or domain state corruption; no remote or unauthenticated paths exist.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to the fixed commit 475426ad1ae0bfdfd8f160ed9750903799392438 or later stable releases that reorder power domain operations to occur before or after genpd registration.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of commit 475426ad1ae0bfdfd8f160ed9750903799392438 in the kernel tree or confirm the updated pmdomain/mediatek.c probe and remove sequences; test device boot and power transitions under load.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local code execution or shell on affected device
2. Time driver probe with genpd power domain operations
3. Trigger concurrent power on/off and register/unregister calls
4. Cause kernel panic or availability loss via corrupted domain state

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for Mediatek pmdomain probe failures, genpd warnings, or unexpected power domain state errors around device boot; correlate with crash dumps showing domain registration races.

What your security team should do

• Apply the referenced kernel commit immediately on all Mediatek-based systems
• Prioritize updates for devices with high uptime requirements or exposed local attack surface
• Monitor vendor kernel releases for backports of the fix