Linux Kernel PowerPC Vulnerability Affecting IBM Power9 Architecture

CVE-2023-53326

What is CVE-2023-53326?

A vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel affecting PowerPC architecture where the powerpc subsystem mishandles a NULL pt_regs during task execution. This oversight can lead to a system crash when an IO worker attempts to generate a core dump, resulting in a kernel NULL pointer dereference. The underlying issue arises when PF_IO_WORKER is created, yet it lacks the proper pt_regs setup. This could potentially expose systems to operational instability. Proper validation checks for pt_regs need to be implemented to prevent this failure from occurring.

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