Privileged data disclosure via speculative load forwarding
Published Feb 29, 2024 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Information disclosure in the Linux kernel allows local users on affected Cortex-A520 cores to read privileged data through a cache side channel. During an EL1-to-EL0 return, the arm64 kernel_exit path performs privileged stack loads and returns without the TLBI and barrier needed to clear speculative value-forwarding state. Exposure requires Cortex-A520 r0p0 or r0p1, a shared ASID and VMID translation regime, and no KPTI; affected cores normally run without KPTI because CSV3 and E0PD suppress that isolation.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in the Linux kernel allows local users on affected Cortex-A520 cores to read privileged data through a cache side channel. During an EL1-to-EL0 return, the arm64 kernel_exit path performs privileged stack loads and returns without the TLBI and barrier needed to clear speculative value-forwarding state. Exposure requires Cortex-A520 r0p0 or r0p1, a shared ASID and VMID translation regime, and no KPTI; affected cores normally run without KPTI because CSV3 and E0PD suppress that isolation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-52481
- Published
- Feb 29, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 15, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.7
- Affected versionversion=60ffc30d5652810dd34ea2eec41504222f5d5791 <32b0a4ffcaea44a00a61e40c0d1bcc50362aee25
- Affected versionversion=60ffc30d5652810dd34ea2eec41504222f5d5791 <471470bc7052d28ce125901877dd10e4c048e513
- Affected versionversion=60ffc30d5652810dd34ea2eec41504222f5d5791 <6e3ae2927b432a3b7c8374f14dbc1bd9ebe4372c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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