CVE-2023-53169

MEDIUM

Linux Kernel - MSR Access Error via Stale staged_config[] in resctrl

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/resctrl: Clear staged_config[] before and after it is used As a temporary storage, staged_config[] in rdt_domain should be cleared before and after it is used. The stale value in staged_config[] could cause an MSR access error. Here is a reproducer on a system with 16 usable CLOSIDs for a 15-way L3 Cache (MBA should be disabled if the number of CLOSIDs for MB is less than 16.) : mount -t resctrl resctrl -o cdp /sys/fs/resctrl mkdir /sys/fs/resctrl/p{1..7} umount /sys/fs/resctrl/ mount -t resctrl resctrl /sys/fs/resctrl mkdir /sys/fs/resctrl/p{1..8} An error occurs when creating resource group named p8: unchecked MSR access error: WRMSR to 0xca0 (tried to write 0x00000000000007ff) at rIP: 0xffffffff82249142 (cat_wrmsr+0x32/0x60) Call Trace: <IRQ> __flush_smp_call_function_queue+0x11d/0x170 __sysvec_call_function+0x24/0xd0 sysvec_call_function+0x89/0xc0 </IRQ> <TASK> asm_sysvec_call_function+0x16/0x20 When creating a new resource control group, hardware will be configured by the following process: rdtgroup_mkdir() rdtgroup_mkdir_ctrl_mon() rdtgroup_init_alloc() resctrl_arch_update_domains() resctrl_arch_update_domains() iterates and updates all resctrl_conf_type whose have_new_ctrl is true. Since staged_config[] holds the same values as when CDP was enabled, it will continue to update the CDP_CODE and CDP_DATA configurations. When group p8 is created, get_config_index() called in resctrl_arch_update_domains() will return 16 and 17 as the CLOSIDs for CDP_CODE and CDP_DATA, which will be translated to an invalid register - 0xca0 in this scenario. Fix it by clearing staged_config[] before and after it is used. [reinette: re-order commit tags]

Scores

CVSS v3 5.5
EPSS 0.0014
EPSS Percentile 4.2%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Details

Status published
Products (15)
linux/Kernel 5.15.0 - 5.15.104linux
linux/Kernel 5.16.0 - 6.1.21linux
linux/Kernel 6.2.0 - 6.2.8linux
Linux/Linux < 5.15
Linux/Linux 5.15
Linux/Linux 5.15.104 - 5.15.*
Linux/Linux 6.1.21 - 6.1.*
Linux/Linux 6.2.8 - 6.2.*
Linux/Linux 6.3
Linux/Linux 75408e43509ed6207870c0e7e28656acbbc1f7fd - 0424a7dfe9129b93f29b277511a60e87f052ac6b
... and 5 more
Published Sep 15, 2025
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026