Vulnerability · Published Dec 24, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2023-54036wifi: rtl8xxxu: Fix memory leaks with RTL8723BU, RTL8192EU
Unrated
In plain English
A security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 8% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtl8xxxu: Fix memory leaks with RTL8723BU, RTL8192EU The wifi + bluetooth combo chip RTL8723BU can leak memory (especially?) when it's connected to a bluetooth audio device. The busy bluetooth traffic generates lots of C2H (card to host) messages, which are not freed correctly. To fix this, move the dev_kfree_skb() call in rtl8xxxu_c2hcmd_callback() inside the loop where skb_dequeue() is called. The RTL8192EU leaks memory because the C2H messages are added to the queue and left there forever. (This was fine in the past because it probably wasn't sending any C2H messages until commit e542e66b7c2e ("wifi: rtl8xxxu: gen2: Turn on the rate control"). Since that commit it sends a C2H message when the TX rate changes.) To fix this, delete the check for rf_paths > 1 and the goto. Let the function process the C2H messages from RTL8192EU like the ones from the other chips. Theoretically the RTL8188FU could also leak like RTL8723BU, but it most likely doesn't send C2H messages frequently enough. This change was tested with RTL8723BU by Erhard F. I tested it with RTL8188FU and RTL8192EU.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.20-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.1.20-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.1.20-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-75.82 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1038.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1040.47 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1041.48.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1036.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1036.41 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1022.27 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1032.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1033.38 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1035.40 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-75.82 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1027.27 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 5.15.0-1015.15 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1037.43 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1032.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54036 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | e542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819 – before 430f9f9bec53a75f9ccc53e156a66f13fc098b83e542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819 – before 35fb0e275af1aa1ca0a9784417e90f988aaf8e78e542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819 – before 93c3f34ec02fc81188d328287d4fddd498ccddeae542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819 – before f39a86b4efd270947ee252cc32a30b0aef492d65e542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819 – before b39f662ce1648db0b9de32e6a849b098480793cb |
| Linux | Linux | 5.5 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/430f9f9bec53a75f9ccc53e156a66f13fc098b83
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35fb0e275af1aa1ca0a9784417e90f988aaf8e78
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93c3f34ec02fc81188d328287d4fddd498ccddea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f39a86b4efd270947ee252cc32a30b0aef492d65
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b39f662ce1648db0b9de32e6a849b098480793cb