Improper Memory Management in Linux Kernel's md Component

CVE-2023-53665

What is CVE-2023-53665?

The vulnerability in the Linux kernel's md component arises from improper handling of memory references. Specifically, after the execution of the export_rdev() function, the associated mddev object may become invalid if the last reference is freed. This can lead to potential system crashes and undefined behavior, as dereferencing an invalid memory address can trigger general protection faults. Addressing this issue requires ensuring that mddev is not referenced after export_rdev() has been called, thus maintaining system integrity and preventing unexpected failures.

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