CVE-2023-52740

/// Technical description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

powerpc/64s/interrupt: Fix interrupt exit race with security mitigation switch

The RFI and STF security mitigation options can flip the

interrupt_exit_not_reentrant static branch condition concurrently with

the interrupt exit code which tests that branch.

Interrupt exit tests this condition to set MSR[EE|RI] for exit, then

again in the case a soft-masked interrupt is found pending, to recover

the MSR so the interrupt can be replayed before attempting to exit

again. If the condition changes between these two tests, the MSR and irq

soft-mask state will become corrupted, leading to warnings and possible

crashes. For example, if the branch is initially true then false,

MSR[EE] will be 0 but PACA_IRQ_HARD_DIS clear and EE may not get

enabled, leading to warnings in irq_64.c.

/// Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

/// References