Linux Kernel up to 6.3.12/6.4.3 get_ring_selector null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.12/6.4.3. This affects the function get_ring_selector. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2023-54141. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.3.12/6.4.3 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function get_ring_selector. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: Add missing hw_ops->get_ring_selector() for IPQ5018 During sending data after clients connected, hw_ops->get_ring_selector() will be called. But for IPQ5018, this member isn't set, and the following NULL pointer exception will be occurred: [ 38.840478] 8<--- cut here --- [ 38.840517] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000000 ... [ 38.923161] PC is at 0x0 [ 38.927930] LR is at ath11k_dp_tx+0x70/0x730 [ath11k] ... [ 39.063264] Process hostapd (pid: 1034, stack limit = 0x801ceb3d) [ 39.068994] Stack: (0x856a9a68 to 0x856aa000) ... [ 39.438467] [<7f323804>] (ath11k_dp_tx [ath11k]) from [<7f314e6c>] (ath11k_mac_op_tx+0x80/0x190 [ath11k]) [ 39.446607] [<7f314e6c>] (ath11k_mac_op_tx [ath11k]) from [<7f17dbe0>] (ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue+0x7c/0xc0 [mac80211]) [ 39.456162] [<7f17dbe0>] (ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue [mac80211]) from [<7f174450>] (ieee80211_probereq_get+0x584/0x704 [mac80211]) [ 39.467443] [<7f174450>] (ieee80211_probereq_get [mac80211]) from [<7f178c40>] (ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb+0x1f8/0x248 [mac80211]) [ 39.479334] [<7f178c40>] (ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb [mac80211]) from [<7f179e28>] (__ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x32c/0x3d4 [mac80211]) [ 39.491053] [<7f179e28>] (__ieee80211_subif_start_xmit [mac80211]) from [<7f17af08>] (ieee80211_tx_control_port+0x19c/0x288 [mac80211]) [ 39.502946] [<7f17af08>] (ieee80211_tx_control_port [mac80211]) from [<7f0fc704>] (nl80211_tx_control_port+0x174/0x1d4 [cfg80211]) [ 39.515017] [<7f0fc704>] (nl80211_tx_control_port [cfg80211]) from [<808ceac4>] (genl_rcv_msg+0x154/0x340) [ 39.526814] [<808ceac4>] (genl_rcv_msg) from [<808cdb74>] (netlink_rcv_skb+0xb8/0x11c) [ 39.536446] [<808cdb74>] (netlink_rcv_skb) from [<808ce1d0>] (genl_rcv+0x28/0x34) [ 39.544344] [<808ce1d0>] (genl_rcv) from [<808cd234>] (netlink_unicast+0x174/0x274) [ 39.551895] [<808cd234>] (netlink_unicast) from [<808cd510>] (netlink_sendmsg+0x1dc/0x440) [ 39.559362] [<808cd510>] (netlink_sendmsg) from [<808596e0>] (____sys_sendmsg+0x1a8/0x1fc) [ 39.567697] [<808596e0>] (____sys_sendmsg) from [<8085b1a8>] (___sys_sendmsg+0xa4/0xdc) [ 39.575941] [<8085b1a8>] (___sys_sendmsg) from [<8085b310>] (sys_sendmsg+0x44/0x74) [ 39.583841] [<8085b310>] (sys_sendmsg) from [<80300060>] (ret_fast_syscall+0x0/0x40) ... [ 39.620734] Code: bad PC value [ 39.625869] ---[ end trace 8aef983ad3cbc032 ]---

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2023-54141 since 12/24/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279829 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-54141), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.3.13 or 6.4.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d1992d72a359732f143cc962917104d193705da7/c36289e3c5e83286974ef68c20c821fd5b63801c/ce282d8de71f07f0056ea319541141152c65f552 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 (279829) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2929). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.3.0
• 6.3.1
• 6.3.2
• 6.3.3
• 6.3.4
• 6.3.5
• 6.3.6
• 6.3.7
• 6.3.8
• 6.3.9
• 6.3.10
• 6.3.11
• 6.3.12
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

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

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