CVE-2023-53496 — linux / linux_kernel
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
x86/platform/uv: Use alternate source for socket to node data
The UV code attempts to build a set of tables to allow it to do bidirectional socket<=>node lookups.
But when nr_cpus is set to a smaller number than actually present, the cpu_to_node() mapping information for unused CPUs is not available to build_socket_tables(). This results in skipping some nodes or sockets when creating the tables and leaving some -1's for later code to trip. over, causing oopses.
The problem is that the socket<=>node lookups are created by doing a loop over all CPUs, then looking up the CPU's APICID and socket. But if a CPU is not present, there is no way to start this lookup.
Instead of looping over all CPUs, take CPUs out of the equation entirely. Loop over all APICIDs which are mapped to a valid NUMA node. Then just extract the socket-id from the APICID.
This avoid tripping over disabled CPUs.
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.5 | 6.5.5 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.6-rc1 | 6.6-rc1.x |
Deep Security Visibility Without the Complexity
SynScan provides clear, real-time security insights so you can monitor your attack surface, spot risks early, and act fast—without extra complexity.
- No setup fees
- 5-min deployment
- Cancel anytime
Frequently Asked Questions
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.
Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.
Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.
SynScan combines attack surface monitoring and continuous security auditing to keep your inventory current, flag high-impact vulnerabilities early, and help you turn raw findings into a practical remediation plan.