CVE-2023-53009 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/amdkfd: Add sync after creating vram bo
There will be data corruption on vram allocated by svm if the initialization is not complete and application is writting on the memory. Adding sync to wait for the initialization completion is to resolve this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-53009 affects the Linux kernel's graphics subsystem, specifically within the amdkfd driver component that manages AMD GPU compute operations. This issue resides in the direct rendering manager framework which handles memory management for graphics processing units. The flaw manifests when virtual ram buffer objects are created through the svm (shared virtual memory) mechanism, creating a race condition between memory allocation and initialization processes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-362, which addresses concurrent execution issues and race conditions in software systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient synchronization mechanisms during the creation of virtual ram buffer objects within the AMD GPU compute framework. When applications attempt to write to memory allocated through the svm interface, the system may not have completed the initialization process for the virtual ram buffer object. This asynchronous behavior creates a window where memory operations can proceed before the underlying memory is properly configured, leading to data corruption. The issue occurs specifically within the drm/amdkfd driver module, which manages the communication between the kernel and AMD GPU hardware for compute operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, potentially affecting system stability and application reliability when running compute-intensive graphics workloads. Applications utilizing shared virtual memory with AMD GPUs may experience silent data corruption, where written data becomes inconsistent or invalid without explicit error reporting. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in high-performance computing environments, machine learning frameworks, and graphics applications that rely heavily on GPU memory operations. The vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate application usage patterns, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without proper synchronization mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-53009 require implementing proper synchronization before allowing application access to newly allocated virtual ram buffer objects. The fix involves adding explicit synchronization points to wait for initialization completion before permitting memory writes, effectively closing the race condition window. System administrators should ensure kernel updates are applied immediately, as this vulnerability affects the core graphics subsystem and can compromise system integrity. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through kernel modules and addresses the broader category of privilege escalation through kernel-level memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual memory access patterns and data corruption indicators in GPU compute workloads to detect potential exploitation attempts.