In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails

Syzkaller detected a memory leak of skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream().
While processing skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(), the already allocated
skbs in skb_pool are not freed if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails. If we
have an incorrect pkt_len or pkt_tag, the input skb is considered invalid
and dropped. All the associated packets already in skb_pool should be
dropped and freed. Added a comment describing this issue.

The patch also makes remain_skb NULL after being processed so that it
cannot be referenced after potential free. The initialization of hif_dev
fields which are associated with remain_skb (rx_remain_len,
rx_transfer_len and rx_pad_len) is moved after a new remain_skb is
allocated.

Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails Syzkaller detected a memory leak of skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). While processing skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(), the already allocated skbs in skb_pool are not freed if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails. If we have an incorrect pkt_len or pkt_tag, the input skb is considered invalid and dropped. All the associated packets already in skb_pool should be dropped and freed. Added a comment describing this issue. The patch also makes remain_skb NULL after being processed so that it cannot be referenced after potential free. The initialization of hif_dev fields which are associated with remain_skb (rx_remain_len, rx_transfer_len and rx_pad_len) is moved after a new remain_skb is allocated. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.
Title wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails
References

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2025-09-15T14:21:27.451Z

Reserved: 2025-09-15T13:59:19.067Z

Link: CVE-2023-53199

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2025-09-15T15:15:46.277

Modified: 2025-09-15T15:22:27.090

Link: CVE-2023-53199

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.