CVE-2023-53844 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/ttm: Don't leak a resource on swapout move error
If moving the bo to system for swapout failed, we were leaking a resource. Fix.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-53844 represents a memory management issue within the Linux kernel's direct rendering manager ttm subsystem. This flaw specifically affects the graphics memory management component responsible for handling buffer object operations in graphics drivers. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel attempts to move buffer objects to system memory during swapout operations, which is a standard procedure for managing graphics memory under memory pressure conditions. The issue occurs in the drm/ttm subsystem which provides a framework for graphics memory management across various graphics drivers including those for intel, amd, and nvidia hardware.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper resource cleanup during error handling scenarios within the buffer object swapout mechanism. When the kernel encounters an error while attempting to move a buffer object to system memory for swapout purposes, it fails to properly release previously allocated resources that were acquired during the swapout process. This resource leak occurs because the error path does not execute the necessary cleanup routines that would normally be called in the successful completion path. The flaw is particularly concerning as it represents a classic memory leak pattern where allocated kernel memory structures remain unreleased, leading to gradual memory consumption over time.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory waste to potentially affect system stability and performance under sustained graphics workloads. As the kernel continues to process graphics buffer operations and encounter swapout errors, each occurrence results in a small but persistent memory leak that accumulates over time. This can lead to gradual degradation of system performance, increased memory pressure that may trigger unnecessary memory compaction or swapping behavior, and in extreme cases could contribute to system instability or resource exhaustion. The vulnerability affects systems with active graphics workloads and memory management pressure, particularly those running graphics-intensive applications or serving multiple graphics clients simultaneously.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper release of memory after transfer of assignment, and demonstrates a classic failure in resource management during error conditions. The fix implemented addresses the issue by ensuring proper cleanup of resources regardless of whether the swapout operation succeeds or fails, following the principle of defensive programming and proper resource management. From an attack perspective, while this vulnerability does not represent a direct privilege escalation or remote code execution flaw, it could potentially be leveraged as part of a broader attack strategy to exhaust system resources or contribute to denial of service conditions. The remediation involves modifying the error handling path to ensure that all allocated resources are properly released when swapout operations fail, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for resource exhaustion through memory leaks and system instability. The fix maintains the existing functionality while ensuring proper resource management, preventing the accumulation of leaked resources that could impact long-running systems or graphics-intensive workloads over extended periods.