Memory Leak in Linux Kernel's IPMI Interface

CVE-2023-53611

What is CVE-2023-53611?

A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPMI interface occurs during the initialization process when allocated memory is not properly freed if an error arises prior to the registration of handlers. Specifically, if the try_smi_init() function encounters an error before the shutdown_smi() function is registered, it fails to release allocated memory, leading to potential resource exhaustion and system instability. The issue has been addressed by implementing a kfree() call in the error handling path to ensure that memory is appropriately released, improving the overall stability and security of the system.

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