CVE-2023-53610 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 10/04/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
irqchip: Fix refcount leak in platform_irqchip_probe
of_irq_find_parent() returns a node pointer with refcount incremented, We should use of_node_put() on it when not needed anymore. Add missing of_node_put() to avoid refcount leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-53610 represents a critical resource management flaw within the Linux kernel's interrupt handling subsystem. This issue specifically affects the irqchip subsystem where platform interrupt controllers are probed and initialized. The problem manifests as a reference count leak that occurs during the initialization process of platform interrupt chips, potentially leading to system instability and resource exhaustion over time. The vulnerability resides in the kernel's device tree parsing and interrupt controller registration mechanisms, which are fundamental components of modern embedded and server systems relying on device tree configurations for hardware description.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of device tree node references within the irqchip subsystem. When the function of_irq_find_parent() is invoked during platform interrupt chip probing, it returns a device tree node pointer with an incremented reference count to maintain proper node lifecycle management. However, the code path fails to properly decrement this reference count through the required of_node_put() function call when the node pointer is no longer needed. This reference count leak directly violates fundamental resource management principles and creates a memory leak scenario that can accumulate over time, particularly in systems with frequent interrupt controller initialization or hotplug events.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory consumption issues to potentially affect system reliability and performance. While the immediate effect may appear as a gradual memory leak, the cumulative effect can lead to system resource exhaustion, particularly in embedded systems or servers with high interrupt activity. The vulnerability affects systems using device tree-based interrupt controller configurations, which are prevalent across ARM, MIPS, and other architectures that rely on device tree descriptions for hardware initialization. This flaw can be particularly problematic in long-running systems or those with dynamic hardware configuration changes, where the reference count leak compounds over time and may eventually impact system responsiveness or trigger kernel memory allocation failures.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-404, which describes improper resource management, specifically focusing on memory leaks and reference counting issues. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1490, which covers resource exhaustion attacks that can be leveraged through memory leaks to degrade system performance or availability. The fix implemented addresses this by adding the missing of_node_put() call to properly decrement the reference count on device tree nodes returned by of_irq_find_parent(). This remediation ensures that device tree node references are properly managed and released, preventing the accumulation of unreleased references that would otherwise consume kernel memory. The solution follows established kernel development practices for device tree node management and represents a straightforward but critical fix that maintains proper reference counting semantics throughout the interrupt controller initialization process.
Systems utilizing the Linux kernel version containing this vulnerability should prioritize applying the relevant security patch immediately, as the resource leak can potentially be exploited to cause system instability or performance degradation. The vulnerability affects a core kernel subsystem and is particularly concerning in production environments where system stability and resource utilization are critical. Organizations should monitor their kernel versions and ensure that all systems running affected kernel versions receive the necessary updates to prevent potential exploitation through resource exhaustion attacks. The fix is minimal and focused, reducing the risk of introducing regressions while effectively resolving the reference count leak issue.