# CVE-2023-53341: of/fdt: run soc memory setup when early_init_dt_scan_memory fails

> A logic error in Linux kernel memory initialization causes a kernel panic on specific boards, resulting in a denial of service during boot.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53341, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53341, GHSA-h68c-38x6-5x45, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53341

## What is CVE-2023-53341?

CVE-2023-53341 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

of/fdt: run soc memory setup when early_init_dt_scan_memory fails

If memory has been found early_init_dt_scan_memory now returns 1. If
it hasn't found any memory it will return 0, allowing other memory
setup mechanisms to carry on.

Previously early_init_dt_scan_memory always returned 0 without
distinguishing between any kind of memory setup being done or not. Any
code path after the early_init_dt_scan memory call in the ramips
plat_mem_setup code wouldn't be executed anymore. Making
early_init_dt_scan_memory the only way to initialize the memory.

Some boards, including my mt7621 based Cudy X6 board, depend on memory
initialization being done via the soc_info.mem_detect function
pointer. Those wouldn't be able to obtain memory and panic the kernel
during early bootup with the message "early_init_dt_alloc_memory_arch:
Failed to allocate 12416 bytes align=0x40".

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53341?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53341?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53341 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53341 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53341 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53341 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53341 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53341/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53341/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53341
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53341
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53341

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53341/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.