Linux Kernel up to 6.1.38/6.4.3 media pm_runtime_get_if_in_use reference count

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.38/6.4.3 and classified as critical. Impacted is the function pm_runtime_get_if_in_use of the component media. This manipulation causes reference count. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2023-53177. No exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.38/6.4.3 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function pm_runtime_get_if_in_use of the component media. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a reference count vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-911. The product uses a reference count to manage a resource, but it does not update or incorrectly updates the reference count. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: hi846: fix usage of pm_runtime_get_if_in_use() pm_runtime_get_if_in_use() does not only return nonzero values when the device is in use, it can return a negative errno too. And especially during resuming from system suspend, when runtime pm is not yet up again, -EAGAIN is being returned, so the subsequent pm_runtime_put() call results in a refcount underflow. Fix system-resume by handling -EAGAIN of pm_runtime_get_if_in_use().

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-53177 since 09/15/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 265176 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53177), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.39 or 6.4.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 42ec6269f98edd915ee37da3c6456bb6243ea56a/c5dcd7a19f1ed8fe98384f3a9444c7c53befd74e/04fc06f6dc1592ed5d675311ac50d8fba5db62ab is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (265176) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2053). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• F5 F5OS

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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