CVE-2023-53199: wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2025-09-15 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-772

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails Syzkaller detected a memory leak of skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). While processing skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(), the already allocated skbs in skb_pool are not freed if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails. If we have an incorrect pkt_len or pkt_tag, the input skb is considered invalid and dropped. All the associated packets already in skb_pool should be dropped and freed. Added a comment describing this issue. The patch also makes remain_skb NULL after being processed so that it cannot be referenced after potential free. The initialization of hif_dev fields which are associated with remain_skb (rx_remain_len, rx_transfer_len and rx_pad_len) is moved after a new remain_skb is allocated. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 2.6.38 before 4.19.276; from 4.20 before 5.4.235; from 5.5 before 5.10.173; from 5.11 before 5.15.99; from 5.16 before 6.1.16; from 6.2 before 6.2.3 — fixed in 4.19.276, 5.10.173, 5.15.99, 5.4.235, 6.1.16, 6.2.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 4.19.276, 5.10.173, 5.15.99, 5.4.235. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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