Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2023-31082
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered in drivers/tty/n_gsm.c in the Linux kernel 6.2. There is a sleeping function called from an invalid context in gsmld_write, which will block the kernel. Note: This has been disputed by 3rd parties as not a valid vulnerability.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · low confidenceIn the Linux kernel 6.2, the GSM TTY driver (drivers/tty/n_gsm.c) has a flaw in the gsmld_write function where a sleeping function is called from an invalid context, which can cause the kernel to block. This represents a race condition or context violation in kernel code execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
= 6.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check kernel versionRun `uname -r` to display the running kernel versionAffected if The version starts with 6.2 (e.g., 6.2.0, 6.2.1, 6.2.x)
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Verify GSM TTY driver presenceRun `lsmod | grep -i gsm` to check if the n_gsm module is currently loaded in memoryAffected if The module n_gsm or gsm is listed in the output showing it is currently loaded
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Check for GSM TTY driver fileRun `cat /proc/version` or check if `drivers/tty/n_gsm.c` exists in the kernel source tree usedAffected if The kernel source or /proc/version confirms a 6.2.x version and the GSM driver code is present
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Detect active GSM TTY devicesRun `ls -la /dev/tty*` and look for gsm or GSM named devices (e.g., /dev/ttyGSM0) or check /sys/class/tty for GSM-related entriesAffected if Any /dev/ttyGSM* or similar GSM-associated TTY devices exist and are accessible
You are affected if you are running kernel 6.2.x and the n_gsm GSM TTY driver module is loaded and actively used on your system.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedSince this issue is disputed as a valid vulnerability and affects a specific kernel driver, verify the issue's validity in your environment; consider upgrading to a newer kernel version if a fix is released, or restrict access to the GSM TTY driver if not needed.
Linux kernel 6.3 or later / stable LTS kernel (e.g., 6.1.x LTS)
- Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 6.3 or later, or a stable Long Term Support (LTS) kernel version that includes the fix for the gsmld_write sleeping function issue in drivers/tty/n_gsm.c
- After upgrading, verify the system boots correctly and test the n_gsm TTY driver functionality
- If unable to upgrade the kernel immediately, consider disabling the n_gsm driver (modprobe -r n_gsm) if not required, as a temporary mitigation
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Linux Kernel
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,088.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-31082 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-31082 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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