CVE-2023-53989 Details
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: mm: fix VA-range sanity check Both create_mapping_noalloc() and update_mapping_prot() sanity-check their 'virt' parameter, but the check itself doesn't make much sense. The condition used today appears to be a historical accident. The sanity-check condition: if ((virt >= PAGE_END) && (virt < VMALLOC_START)) { [ ... warning here ... ] return; } ... can only be true for the KASAN shadow region or the module region, and there's no reason to exclude these specifically for creating and updateing mappings. When arm64 support was first upstreamed in commit: c1cc1552616d0f35 ("arm64: MMU initialisation") ... the condition was: if (virt < VMALLOC_START) { [ ... warning here ... ] return; } At the time, VMALLOC_START was the lowest kernel address, and this was checking whether 'virt' would be translated via TTBR1. Subsequently in commit: 14c127c957c1c607 ("arm64: mm: Flip kernel VA space") ... the condition was changed to: if ((virt >= VA_START) && (virt < VMALLOC_START)) { [ ... warning here ... ] return; } This appear to have been a thinko. The commit moved the linear map to the bottom of the kernel address space, with VMALLOC_START being at the halfway point. The old condition would warn for changes to the linear map below this, and at the time VA_START was the end of the linear map. Subsequently we cleaned up the naming of VA_START in commit: 77ad4ce69321abbe ("arm64: memory: rename VA_START to PAGE_END") ... keeping the erroneous condition as: if ((virt >= PAGE_END) && (virt < VMALLOC_START)) { [ ... warning here ... ] return; } Correct the condition to check against the start of the TTBR1 address space, which is currently PAGE_OFFSET. This simplifies the logic, and more clearly matches the "outside kernel range" message in the warning.
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's arm64 architecture has been addressed, concerning an incorrect sanity check for virtual address ranges. The issue arose because the current validation logic, which excludes certain regions like KASAN shadow and module areas, was based on a historical error. The flawed condition was introduced when arm64 support was first added, and subsequent changes to the kernel's virtual address space were not properly reflected in the validation logic. This oversight could potentially lead to improper handling of memory mappings.
Users can upgrade to the latest version of the Linux kernel where this vulnerability has been fixed.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
Volerion
Assessed Dec 24, 2025References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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| URL | Source(s) | Tag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32020fc2a8373d3de35ae6d029d5969a42651e7a | kernel.org | Source CodeVendor |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/621619f626cbe702ddbdc54117f3868b8ebd8129 | kernel.org | Source CodeVendor |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9d8d3df71516ec3236d8d93ff029d251377ba4b1 | kernel.org | Source CodeVendor |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab9b4008092c86dc12497af155a0901cc1156999 | kernel.org | Source CodeVendor |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b03c7fcc5ed854d0e1b27e9abf12428bfa751a37 | kernel.org | Source CodeVendor |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7a9e967cc9615a1dabc5e0e6fdbe88a172d5a5b | kernel.org |
Weakness Enumeration
No weakness enumeration is available for this CVE.
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Linux kernel | All versions |
CPE
Remediation
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Change History
3 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| Jun 1, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| Dec 24, 2025 | New CVE Received | kernel.org |
Volerion