Linux Kernel up to 6.15.2 wifi ath11k_core_halt initialization

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
6.2$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.2. It has been rated as critical. This affects the function ath11k_core_halt of the component wifi. The manipulation leads to initialization. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-38293. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.2. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function ath11k_core_halt of the component wifi. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a initialization vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-665. The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: fix node corruption in ar->arvifs list In current WLAN recovery code flow, ath11k_core_halt() only reinitializes the "arvifs" list head. This will cause the list node immediately following the list head to become an invalid list node. Because the prev of that node still points to the list head "arvifs", but the next of the list head "arvifs" no longer points to that list node. When a WLAN recovery occurs during the execution of a vif removal, and it happens before the spin_lock_bh(&ar->data_lock) in ath11k_mac_op_remove_interface(), list_del() will detect the previously mentioned situation, thereby triggering a kernel panic. The fix is to remove and reinitialize all vif list nodes from the list head "arvifs" during WLAN halt. The reinitialization is to make the list nodes valid, ensuring that the list_del() in ath11k_mac_op_remove_interface() can execute normally. Call trace: __list_del_entry_valid_or_report+0xb8/0xd0 ath11k_mac_op_remove_interface+0xb0/0x27c [ath11k] drv_remove_interface+0x48/0x194 [mac80211] ieee80211_do_stop+0x6e0/0x844 [mac80211] ieee80211_stop+0x44/0x17c [mac80211] __dev_close_many+0xac/0x150 __dev_change_flags+0x194/0x234 dev_change_flags+0x24/0x6c devinet_ioctl+0x3a0/0x670 inet_ioctl+0x200/0x248 sock_do_ioctl+0x60/0x118 sock_ioctl+0x274/0x35c __arm64_sys_ioctl+0xac/0xf0 invoke_syscall+0x48/0x114 ... Tested-on: QCA6698AQ hw2.1 PCI WLAN.HSP.1.1-04591-QCAHSPSWPL_V1_V2_SILICONZ_IOE-1

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38293 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/19/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 265954 (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS : Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities (USN-7776-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.94, 6.12.34, 6.15.3 or 6.16-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6c139015b597e570dd5962934e9f9a2f4cc8ef48/f9507cf2dd0e1ed5028c0e8240da6fe5fd3110d3/b0974ed82e6ad5ff246fd90a5b14f3e7be4f2924/f50ba7e7b607f2d00618799312e7fdb76a1ff48e/f5d77d0d41ea7a204d47288d0cf0404a52b5890e/6d6cb27fe146061f2512e904618f5e005bb7bb6a/31e98e277ae47f56632e4d663b1d4fd12ba33ea8 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.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (265954) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1522). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

  • Google Container-Optimized OS
  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • Dell Avamar
  • Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.2

VulDB Base Score: 7.1
VulDB Temp Score: 6.8
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Initialization
CWE: CWE-665
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 265954
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS : Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities (USN-7776-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.239/5.15.186/6.1.142/6.6.94/6.12.34/6.15.3/6.16-rc1
Patch: 6c139015b597e570dd5962934e9f9a2f4cc8ef48/f9507cf2dd0e1ed5028c0e8240da6fe5fd3110d3/b0974ed82e6ad5ff246fd90a5b14f3e7be4f2924/f50ba7e7b607f2d00618799312e7fdb76a1ff48e/f5d77d0d41ea7a204d47288d0cf0404a52b5890e/6d6cb27fe146061f2512e904618f5e005bb7bb6a/31e98e277ae47f56632e4d663b1d4fd12ba33ea8

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/10/2025 +85 days Advisory disclosed
07/10/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
12/19/2025 +162 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38293 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38293
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-315917
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1522 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 07/10/2025 10:16
Updated: 12/19/2025 12:49
Changes: 07/10/2025 10:16 (58), 09/27/2025 00:35 (2), 10/11/2025 08:13 (7), 11/02/2025 18:37 (1), 12/07/2025 21:49 (1), 12/19/2025 12:49 (12)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Interested in the pricing of exploits?

See the underground prices here!