CVE-2023-53428

powercap: arm_scmi: Remove recursion while parsing zones

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: September 18, 2025 at 04:04 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:45 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powercap: arm_scmi: Remove recursion while parsing zones Powercap zones can be defined as arranged in a hierarchy of trees and when registering a zone with powercap_register_zone(), the kernel powercap subsystem expects this to happen starting from the root zones down to the leaves; on the other side, de-registration by powercap_deregister_zone() must begin from the leaf zones. Available SCMI powercap zones are retrieved dynamically from the platform at probe time and, while any defined hierarchy between the zones is described properly in the zones descriptor, the platform returns the availables zones with no particular well-defined order: as a consequence, the trees possibly composing the hierarchy of zones have to be somehow walked properly to register the retrieved zones from the root. Currently the ARM SCMI Powercap driver walks the zones using a recursive algorithm; this approach, even though correct and tested can lead to kernel stack overflow when processing a returned hierarchy of zones composed by particularly high trees. Avoid possible kernel stack overflow by substituting the recursive approach with an iterative one supported by a dynamically allocated stack-like data structure.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

6.2 ≤ v < 6.4.166.2 ≤ v < 6.5.36.2 ≤ v < 6.66.5 ≤ v < 6.5.36.2b55eef5226b71edf5422de246bc189da1fdc9000
Vendor states this is fixed in 3e767d6850f867cc33ac16ca097350a1d2417982 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8022b64fb7daa6135d9f7b0e2f7b5b8e9e5179c9 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b427c23cebc5c926516f20304bf1acc05a33d147 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.5.3 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6 (unaffected)

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-674

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