Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf, arm64: Fixed a BTI...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bpf, arm64: Fixed a BTI error on returning to patched function
When BPF_TRAMP_F_CALL_ORIG is set, BPF trampoline uses BLR to jump
back to the instruction next to call site to call the patched function.
For BTI-enabled kernel, the instruction next to call site is usually
PACIASP, in this case, it's safe to jump back with BLR. But when
the call site is not followed by a PACIASP or bti, a BTI exception
is triggered.
Here is a fault log:
Unhandled 64-bit el1h sync exception on CPU0, ESR 0x0000000034000002 -- BTI
CPU: 0 PID: 263 Comm: test_progs Tainted: GF
Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT)
pstate: 40400805 (nZcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=-c)
pc : bpf_fentry_test1+0xc/0x30
lr : bpf_trampoline_6442573892_0+0x48/0x1000
sp : ffff80000c0c3a50
x29: ffff80000c0c3a90 x28: ffff0000c2e6c080 x27: 0000000000000000
x26: 0000000000000000 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: 0000000000000050
x23: 0000000000000000 x22: 0000ffffcfd2a7f0 x21: 000000000000000a
x20: 0000ffffcfd2a7f0 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000
x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000ffffcfd2a7f0
x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 0000000000000000 x12: 0000000000000000
x11: 0000000000000000 x10: ffff80000914f5e4 x9 : ffff8000082a1528
x8 : 0000000000000000 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 0101010101010101
x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 00000000fffffff2 x3 : 0000000000000001
x2 : ffff8001f4b82000 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000001
Kernel panic - not syncing: Unhandled exception
CPU: 0 PID: 263 Comm: test_progs Tainted: GF
Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT)
Call trace:
dump_backtrace+0xec/0x144
show_stack+0x24/0x7c
dump_stack_lvl+0x8c/0xb8
dump_stack+0x18/0x34
panic+0x1cc/0x3ec
__el0_error_handler_common+0x0/0x130
el1h_64_sync_handler+0x60/0xd0
el1h_64_sync+0x78/0x7c
bpf_fentry_test1+0xc/0x30
bpf_fentry_test1+0xc/0x30
bpf_prog_test_run_tracing+0xdc/0x2a0
__sys_bpf+0x438/0x22a0
__arm64_sys_bpf+0x30/0x54
invoke_syscall+0x78/0x110
el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0x6c/0x1d0
do_el0_svc+0x38/0xe0
el0_svc+0x30/0xd0
el0t_64_sync_handler+0x1ac/0x1b0
el0t_64_sync+0x1a0/0x1a4
Kernel Offset: disabled
CPU features: 0x0000,00034c24,f994fdab
Memory Limit: none
And the instruction next to call site of bpf_fentry_test1 is ADD,
not PACIASP:
:
bti c
nop
nop
add w0, w0, #0x1
paciasp
For BPF prog, JIT always puts a PACIASP after call site for BTI-enabled
kernel, so there is no problem. To fix it, replace BLR with RET to bypass
the branch target check.
Impact
CVE-2023-53634 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-53634? CVE-2023-53634 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2023-53634? CVE-2023-53634 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-53634? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2023-53634 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2023-53634 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-53634 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-53634 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.