Linux Kernel up to 6.3.1 ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream initialization

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5.4	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.1. It has been rated as critical. This impacts the function ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream. This manipulation causes initialization. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2023-53641. There is no available exploit. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.1 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a initialization vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is 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. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: fix memory leak of remain_skbs hif_dev->remain_skb is allocated and used exclusively in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). It is implied that an allocated remain_skb is processed and subsequently freed (in error paths) only during the next call of ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). So, if the urbs are deallocated between those two calls due to the device deinitialization or suspend, it is possible that ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() is not called next time and the allocated remain_skb is leaked. Our local Syzkaller instance was able to trigger that. remain_skb makes sense when receiving two consecutive urbs which are logically linked together, i.e. a specific data field from the first skb indicates a cached skb to be allocated, memcpy'd with some data and subsequently processed in the next call to ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). Urbs deallocation supposedly makes that link irrelevant so we need to free the cached skb in those cases. Fix the leak by introducing a function to explicitly free remain_skb (if it is not NULL) when the rx urbs have been deallocated. remain_skb is NULL when it has not been allocated at all (hif_dev struct is kzalloced) or when it has been processed in next call to ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-53641 since 10/07/2025. The exploitation appears to be easy. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279908 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4515-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.19.283, 5.4.243, 5.10.180, 5.15.111, 6.1.28, 6.2.15 or 6.3.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6719e3797ec52cd144c8a5ba8aaab36674800585/d9899318660791141ea6002fda5577b2c5d7386e/320d760a35273aa815d58b57e4fd9ba5279a3489/59073060fe0950c6ecbe12bdc06469dcac62128d/9b9356a3014123f0ce4b50d9278c1265173150ab/f0931fc8f4b6847c72e170d2326861c0a081d680/8f02d538878c9b1501f624595eb22ee4e5e0ff84/7654cc03eb699297130b693ec34e25f77b17c947 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 (279908) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2229). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.19.282
• 5.4.242
• 5.10.179
• 5.15.110
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.2.0
• 6.2.1
• 6.2.2
• 6.2.3
• 6.2.4
• 6.2.5
• 6.2.6
• 6.2.7
• 6.2.8
• 6.2.9
• 6.2.10
• 6.2.11
• 6.2.12
• 6.2.13
• 6.2.14
• 6.3.0
• 6.3.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.4

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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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-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 279908
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4515-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 4.19.283/5.4.243/5.10.180/5.15.111/6.1.28/6.2.15/6.3.2
Patch: 6719e3797ec52cd144c8a5ba8aaab36674800585/d9899318660791141ea6002fda5577b2c5d7386e/320d760a35273aa815d58b57e4fd9ba5279a3489/59073060fe0950c6ecbe12bdc06469dcac62128d/9b9356a3014123f0ce4b50d9278c1265173150ab/f0931fc8f4b6847c72e170d2326861c0a081d680/8f02d538878c9b1501f624595eb22ee4e5e0ff84/7654cc03eb699297130b693ec34e25f77b17c947

Timelineinfo

10/07/2025 Advisory disclosed
10/07/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
10/07/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/01/2026 +145 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-53641 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-53641
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-327523
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2229 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/07/2025 19:33
Updated: 03/01/2026 10:54
Changes: 10/07/2025 19:33 (58), 11/23/2025 02:25 (7), 12/24/2025 11:54 (1), 12/26/2025 18:11 (2), 02/04/2026 00:15 (10), 03/01/2026 10:54 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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