CVE-2023-53744

What it actually does

Refcount leak in am33xx_pm_probe due to missing wkup_m3_ipc_put() call on error paths after wkup_m3_ipc_get() increments the reference count, leaving the reference held indefinitely.

Why it matters to the business

Prolonged operation on affected embedded TI platforms can lead to gradual resource exhaustion and eventual system instability or denial of service for power-management functions.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access triggers the probe error paths repeatedly, causing the reference count to leak and eventually exhausting kernel resources tied to the M3 IPC interface.

How to fix it

Update to the fixed kernel versions that add the missing wkup_m3_ipc_put() calls; no user-space configuration changes are required.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the presence of the wkup_m3_ipc_put() call in the error-handling branches of am33xx_pm_probe after applying the update and verify that probe failures no longer leak references via code inspection or dynamic tracing.

Typical attack path

1. Gain local access to a system using the TI AM33xx PM driver
2. Force repeated probe failures that exercise the error paths
3. Accumulate leaked references until resource limits are hit
4. Induce denial of service or crash via exhaustion

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for repeated am33xx_pm_probe failures without corresponding resource-release messages; inspect reference-counting debug output or use kmemleak reports to identify held wkup_m3_ipc objects.

What your security team should do

• Apply the kernel update containing the refcount fix immediately on all affected TI platforms
• Monitor for memory-pressure symptoms on systems running the vulnerable driver
• Prioritize patching of internet-facing or multi-tenant embedded devices first