CVE-2023-53802 (GCVE-0-2023-53802)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-12-09 00:00 – Updated: 2025-12-09 00:00
VLAI?
Title
wifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function It is stated that ath9k_htc_rx_msg() either frees the provided skb or passes its management to another callback function. However, the skb is not freed in case there is no another callback function, and Syzkaller was able to cause a memory leak. Also minor comment fix. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.
Severity ?
No CVSS data available.
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
Linux Linux Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < b11f95f65cc52ee3a756e6f6a88df37a203e25bd (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < 68171c006c8645a3e0293a6c3e6037c6538ac1c5 (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < 564bc2222bf50eb6cdee715a5431bf4dc9f923c1 (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < ec246dfe006b2a8f36353f7489e4f525114db9a5 (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < c0c0614f143b568cd0e9525d53cf12e5dcd11987 (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < 5a84e51f72580fc70066b03f3dac38421e702a0b (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < bbfababb4f899fe1556eac195f9774b6fe675fb6 (git)
Affected: fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 , < 9b25e3985477ac3f02eca5fc1e0cc6850a3f7e69 (git)
Create a notification for this product.
    Linux Linux Affected: 2.6.35
Unaffected: 0 , < 2.6.35 (semver)
Unaffected: 4.14.308 , ≤ 4.14.* (semver)
Unaffected: 4.19.276 , ≤ 4.19.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.4.235 , ≤ 5.4.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.10.173 , ≤ 5.10.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.15.99 , ≤ 5.15.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.1.16 , ≤ 6.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.2.3 , ≤ 6.2.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.3 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_hst.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "b11f95f65cc52ee3a756e6f6a88df37a203e25bd",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "68171c006c8645a3e0293a6c3e6037c6538ac1c5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "564bc2222bf50eb6cdee715a5431bf4dc9f923c1",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "ec246dfe006b2a8f36353f7489e4f525114db9a5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "c0c0614f143b568cd0e9525d53cf12e5dcd11987",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5a84e51f72580fc70066b03f3dac38421e702a0b",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "bbfababb4f899fe1556eac195f9774b6fe675fb6",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "9b25e3985477ac3f02eca5fc1e0cc6850a3f7e69",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_hst.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "2.6.35"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "2.6.35",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "4.14.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "4.14.308",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "4.19.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "4.19.276",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.4.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "5.4.235",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "5.10.173",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.15.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "5.15.99",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.1.16",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.2.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.2.3",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.3",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "4.14.308",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "4.19.276",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5.4.235",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.173",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.99",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.16",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.2.3",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.3",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "2.6.35",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function\n\nIt is stated that ath9k_htc_rx_msg() either frees the provided skb or\npasses its management to another callback function. However, the skb is\nnot freed in case there is no another callback function, and Syzkaller was\nable to cause a memory leak. Also minor comment fix.\n\nFound by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller."
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2025-12-09T00:00:58.582Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b11f95f65cc52ee3a756e6f6a88df37a203e25bd"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/68171c006c8645a3e0293a6c3e6037c6538ac1c5"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/564bc2222bf50eb6cdee715a5431bf4dc9f923c1"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec246dfe006b2a8f36353f7489e4f525114db9a5"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0c0614f143b568cd0e9525d53cf12e5dcd11987"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5a84e51f72580fc70066b03f3dac38421e702a0b"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bbfababb4f899fe1556eac195f9774b6fe675fb6"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b25e3985477ac3f02eca5fc1e0cc6850a3f7e69"
        }
      ],
      "title": "wifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2023-53802",
    "datePublished": "2025-12-09T00:00:58.582Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-12-08T23:58:35.275Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-12-09T00:00:58.582Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2023-53802\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2025-12-09T01:16:51.997\",\"lastModified\":\"2025-12-09T18:37:13.640\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Awaiting Analysis\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\nwifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function\\n\\nIt is stated that ath9k_htc_rx_msg() either frees the provided skb or\\npasses its management to another callback function. However, the skb is\\nnot freed in case there is no another callback function, and Syzkaller was\\nable to cause a memory leak. Also minor comment fix.\\n\\nFound by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.\"}],\"metrics\":{},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/564bc2222bf50eb6cdee715a5431bf4dc9f923c1\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5a84e51f72580fc70066b03f3dac38421e702a0b\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/68171c006c8645a3e0293a6c3e6037c6538ac1c5\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b25e3985477ac3f02eca5fc1e0cc6850a3f7e69\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b11f95f65cc52ee3a756e6f6a88df37a203e25bd\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bbfababb4f899fe1556eac195f9774b6fe675fb6\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0c0614f143b568cd0e9525d53cf12e5dcd11987\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec246dfe006b2a8f36353f7489e4f525114db9a5\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}"
  }
}


Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.




Sightings

Author Source Type Date

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.