Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3 peer.c ath12k_peer_find_by_id assertion

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3. It has been declared as critical. This affects the function ath12k_peer_find_by_id of the file drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/peer.c. Executing a manipulation can lead to assertion. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2023-53764. No exploit exists. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.3 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function ath12k_peer_find_by_id of the file drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/peer.c. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a assertion vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-617. The product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: Handle lock during peer_id find ath12k_peer_find_by_id() requires that the caller hold the ab->base_lock. Currently the WBM error path does not hold the lock and calling that function, leads to the following lockdep_assert()in QCN9274: [105162.160893] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [105162.160916] WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 0 at drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/peer.c:71 ath12k_peer_find_by_id+0x52/0x60 [ath12k] [105162.160933] Modules linked in: ath12k(O) qrtr_mhi qrtr mac80211 cfg80211 mhi qmi_helpers libarc4 nvme nvme_core [last unloaded: ath12k(O)] [105162.160967] CPU: 3 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/3 Tainted: G W O 6.1.0-rc2+ #3 [105162.160972] Hardware name: Intel(R) Client Systems NUC8i7HVK/NUC8i7HVB, BIOS HNKBLi70.86A.0056.2019.0506.1527 05/06/2019 [105162.160977] RIP: 0010:ath12k_peer_find_by_id+0x52/0x60 [ath12k] [105162.160990] Code: 07 eb 0f 39 68 24 74 0a 48 8b 00 48 39 f8 75 f3 31 c0 5b 5d c3 48 8d bf b0 f2 00 00 be ff ff ff ff e8 22 20 c4 e2 85 c0 75 bf <0f> 0b eb bb 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 41 54 4c 8d a7 98 f2 00 [105162.160996] RSP: 0018:ffffa223001acc60 EFLAGS: 00010246 [105162.161003] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff9f0573940000 RCX: 0000000000000000 [105162.161008] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: ffffffffa3951c8e RDI: ffffffffa39a96d7 [105162.161013] RBP: 000000000000000a R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [105162.161017] R10: ffffa223001acb40 R11: ffffffffa3d57c60 R12: ffff9f057394f2e0 [105162.161022] R13: ffff9f0573940000 R14: ffff9f04ecd659c0 R15: ffff9f04d5a9b040 [105162.161026] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9f0575600000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [105162.161031] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [105162.161036] CR2: 00001d5c8277a008 CR3: 00000001e6224006 CR4: 00000000003706e0 [105162.161041] Call Trace: [105162.161046] <IRQ> [105162.161051] ath12k_dp_rx_process_wbm_err+0x6da/0xaf0 [ath12k] [105162.161072] ? ath12k_dp_rx_process_err+0x80e/0x15a0 [ath12k] [105162.161084] ? __lock_acquire+0x4ca/0x1a60 [105162.161104] ath12k_dp_service_srng+0x263/0x310 [ath12k] [105162.161120] ath12k_pci_ext_grp_napi_poll+0x1c/0x70 [ath12k] [105162.161133] __napi_poll+0x22/0x260 [105162.161141] net_rx_action+0x2f8/0x380 [105162.161153] __do_softirq+0xd0/0x4c9 [105162.161162] irq_exit_rcu+0x88/0xe0 [105162.161169] common_interrupt+0xa5/0xc0 [105162.161174] </IRQ> [105162.161179] <TASK> [105162.161184] asm_common_interrupt+0x22/0x40 Handle spin lock/unlock in WBM error path to hold the necessary lock expected by ath12k_peer_find_by_id(). Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.0-03171-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2023-53764 since 12/08/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 277642 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53764), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.3.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 9faf7c696610a348ca94a224d55c946b19b3279d/95a389e2ff3212d866cc51c77d682d2934074eb8 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 (277642), EUVD (EUVD-2023-60064) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2756). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• NetApp FAS
• NetApp AFF
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Microsoft Azure Linux

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.3.0
• 6.3.1
• 6.3.2
• 6.3.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

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