Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2 hung_task_timeout_secs ath11k_pci deadlock

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2. Affected by this issue is the function ath11k_pci of the file /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs. This manipulation causes deadlock. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2022-49123. There is no exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function ath11k_pci of the file /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a deadlock vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-833. The product contains multiple threads or executable segments that are waiting for each other to release a necessary lock, resulting in deadlock. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ath11k: Fix frames flush failure caused by deadlock We are seeing below warnings: kernel: [25393.301506] ath11k_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to flush mgmt transmit queue 0 kernel: [25398.421509] ath11k_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to flush mgmt transmit queue 0 kernel: [25398.421831] ath11k_pci 0000:01:00.0: dropping mgmt frame for vdev 0, is_started 0 this means ath11k fails to flush mgmt. frames because wmi_mgmt_tx_work has no chance to run in 5 seconds. By setting /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs to 20 and increasing ATH11K_FLUSH_TIMEOUT to 50 we get below warnings: kernel: [ 120.763160] INFO: task wpa_supplicant:924 blocked for more than 20 seconds. kernel: [ 120.763169] Not tainted 5.10.90 #12 kernel: [ 120.763177] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. kernel: [ 120.763186] task:wpa_supplicant state:D stack: 0 pid: 924 ppid: 1 flags:0x000043a0 kernel: [ 120.763201] Call Trace: kernel: [ 120.763214] __schedule+0x785/0x12fa kernel: [ 120.763224] ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0xe2/0x1bb kernel: [ 120.763242] schedule+0x7e/0xa1 kernel: [ 120.763253] schedule_timeout+0x98/0xfe kernel: [ 120.763266] ? run_local_timers+0x4a/0x4a kernel: [ 120.763291] ath11k_mac_flush_tx_complete+0x197/0x2b1 [ath11k 13c3a9bf37790f4ac8103b3decf7ab4008ac314a] kernel: [ 120.763306] ? init_wait_entry+0x2e/0x2e kernel: [ 120.763343] __ieee80211_flush_queues+0x167/0x21f [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763378] __ieee80211_recalc_idle+0x105/0x125 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763411] ieee80211_recalc_idle+0x14/0x27 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763441] ieee80211_free_chanctx+0x77/0xa2 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763473] __ieee80211_vif_release_channel+0x100/0x131 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763540] ieee80211_vif_release_channel+0x66/0x81 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763572] ieee80211_destroy_auth_data+0xa3/0xe6 [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763612] ieee80211_mgd_deauth+0x178/0x29b [mac80211 335da900954f1c5ea7f1613d92088ce83342042c] kernel: [ 120.763654] cfg80211_mlme_deauth+0x1a8/0x22c [cfg80211 8945aa5bc2af5f6972336665d8ad6f9c191ad5be] kernel: [ 120.763697] nl80211_deauthenticate+0xfa/0x123 [cfg80211 8945aa5bc2af5f6972336665d8ad6f9c191ad5be] kernel: [ 120.763715] genl_rcv_msg+0x392/0x3c2 kernel: [ 120.763750] ? nl80211_associate+0x432/0x432 [cfg80211 8945aa5bc2af5f6972336665d8ad6f9c191ad5be] kernel: [ 120.763782] ? nl80211_associate+0x432/0x432 [cfg80211 8945aa5bc2af5f6972336665d8ad6f9c191ad5be] kernel: [ 120.763802] ? genl_rcv+0x36/0x36 kernel: [ 120.763814] netlink_rcv_skb+0x89/0xf7 kernel: [ 120.763829] genl_rcv+0x28/0x36 kernel: [ 120.763840] netlink_unicast+0x179/0x24b kernel: [ 120.763854] netlink_sendmsg+0x393/0x401 kernel: [ 120.763872] sock_sendmsg+0x72/0x76 kernel: [ 120.763886] ____sys_sendmsg+0x170/0x1e6 kernel: [ 120.763897] ? copy_msghdr_from_user+0x7a/0xa2 kernel: [ 120.763914] ___sys_sendmsg+0x95/0xd1 kernel: [ 120.763940] __sys_sendmsg+0x85/0xbf kernel: [ 120.763956] do_syscall_64+0x43/0x55 kernel: [ 120.763966] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9 kernel: [ 120.763977] RIP: 0033:0x79089f3fcc83 kernel: [ 120.763986] RSP: 002b:00007ffe604f0508 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e kernel: [ 120.763997] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000059b40e987690 RCX: 000079089f3fcc83 kernel: [ 120.764006] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00007ffe604f0558 RDI: 0000000000000009 kernel: [ 120.764014] RBP: 00007ffe604f0540 R08: 0000000000000004 R09: 0000000000400000 kernel: [ 120.764023] R10: 00007ffe604f0638 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 000059b40ea04980 kernel: [ 120.764032] R13: 00007ffe604 ---truncated---

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-49123 since 02/26/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 5.17.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 33e723dc054edfc94da90eecca3b72cb424ce4a3/261b07519518bd14cb168b287b17e1d195f8d0c8 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.17.0
• 5.17.1
• 5.17.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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