CVE-2023-53169

Medium

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]

SeverityMedium
CVSS5.5
Exploit probability—
ProductLinux Kernel
PublishedSep 15, 2025
First seenSep 15, 2025

How to fix

Update
  • linux linux_kernel5.15.104, 6.1.21, 6.2.8 or later

Affected products

ProductAffected versionsFixed in
linux linux_kernel5.15 ≤ v < 5.15.104, 5.16 ≤ v < 6.1.21, 6.2 ≤ v < 6.2.8, 6.35.15.104, 6.1.21, 6.2.8

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