CVE-2023-52902 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically affecting the memory management subsystem in nommu (no memory management unit) configurations. The issue arises in the do_mmap() function, which handles memory mapping operations. The vulnerability is due to a memory leak caused by improper handling of the error path labeled "error_just_free." When an error occurs during the preallocation of maple tree nodes—a data structure used internally by the kernel for memory management—these nodes are not properly freed, leading to a memory leak. The fix involves consolidating the freeing of maple tree nodes into a shared location that is executed for all error paths, ensuring no memory is leaked regardless of the error encountered. This vulnerability does not appear to have any known exploits in the wild at the time of publication and does not have an assigned CVSS score. The affected versions are specific Linux kernel commits identified by their hashes, indicating this is a recent and targeted fix in the kernel source code. The vulnerability is technical and low-level, impacting kernel memory management in systems running Linux without an MMU, which are typically embedded or specialized devices rather than general-purpose desktop or server systems.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-52902 is likely limited but still relevant in certain contexts. Since the vulnerability affects nommu Linux kernel configurations, it primarily impacts embedded systems, IoT devices, and specialized hardware that run Linux without a memory management unit. Many industrial control systems, telecommunications equipment, and embedded devices used in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and transportation in Europe may run such configurations. A memory leak in kernel memory management can lead to gradual resource exhaustion, potentially causing system instability, degraded performance, or crashes over time. This could disrupt critical operations, especially in industrial or infrastructure environments relying on embedded Linux devices. However, the vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation, remote code execution, or direct data compromise, so the confidentiality and integrity impacts are minimal. The absence of known exploits and the requirement for specific kernel configurations reduce the immediate risk to typical enterprise IT environments. Nonetheless, organizations using embedded Linux devices should consider this vulnerability seriously due to the potential for denial of service or operational disruption.

To mitigate CVE-2023-52902, organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory all Linux-based embedded and nommu systems within their infrastructure, particularly in industrial, telecom, and IoT environments. 2) Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that include the fix for this vulnerability as soon as they become available from their device vendors or Linux distributions. 3) For custom-built embedded systems, ensure that kernel source trees are updated and rebuilt with the patched code. 4) Implement monitoring for memory usage and system stability on affected devices to detect potential memory leaks or performance degradation early. 5) Where possible, consider upgrading hardware to platforms with MMU support to avoid nommu kernel configurations, reducing exposure to this and similar vulnerabilities. 6) Engage with device manufacturers and vendors to confirm patch availability and deployment timelines. 7) Employ network segmentation and strict access controls around embedded devices to limit the impact of any potential exploitation or failure.