Vulnerability · Published Dec 24, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2022-50709wifi: ath9k: avoid uninit memory read in ath9k_htc_rx_msg()
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 12% 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: ath9k: avoid uninit memory read in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() syzbot is reporting uninit value at ath9k_htc_rx_msg() [1], for ioctl(USB_RAW_IOCTL_EP_WRITE) can call ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() with pkt_len = 0 but ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() uses __dev_alloc_skb(pkt_len + 32, GFP_ATOMIC) based on an assumption that pkt_len is valid. As a result, ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() allocates skb with uninitialized memory and ath9k_htc_rx_msg() is reading from uninitialized memory. Since bytes accessed by ath9k_htc_rx_msg() is not known until ath9k_htc_rx_msg() is called, it would be difficult to check minimal valid pkt_len at "if (pkt_len > 2 * MAX_RX_BUF_SIZE) {" line in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). We have two choices. One is to workaround by adding __GFP_ZERO so that ath9k_htc_rx_msg() sees 0 if pkt_len is invalid. The other is to let ath9k_htc_rx_msg() validate pkt_len before accessing. This patch chose the latter. Note that I'm not sure threshold condition is correct, for I can't find details on possible packet length used by this protocol.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.0.3-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.0.3-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.0.3-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux | 5.15.0-60.66 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1030.34 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1033.40 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 5.15.0-1033.40.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1029.36 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1027.32 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1015.19 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1025.28 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1025.30 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1028.33 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-60.66 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1017.17 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1029.35 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1024.26 | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50709 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before f3d2a3b7e290d0bdbddfcee5a6c3d922e2b7e02afb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before 84242f15f911f34aec9b22f99d1e9bff19723dbefb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before 2c485f4f2a64258acc5228e78ffb828c68d9e770fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before 9661724f6206bd606ecf13acada676a9975d230bfb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before b1b4144508adfc585e43856b31baaf9008a3beb4fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before 0d2649b288b7b9484e3d4380c0d6c4720a17e473fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before 4891a50f5ed8bfcb8f2a4b816b0676f398687783fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08 – before b383e8abed41cc6ff1a3b34de75df9397fa4878c |
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.35 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f3d2a3b7e290d0bdbddfcee5a6c3d922e2b7e02a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/84242f15f911f34aec9b22f99d1e9bff19723dbe
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c485f4f2a64258acc5228e78ffb828c68d9e770
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9661724f6206bd606ecf13acada676a9975d230b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1b4144508adfc585e43856b31baaf9008a3beb4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d2649b288b7b9484e3d4380c0d6c4720a17e473
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4891a50f5ed8bfcb8f2a4b816b0676f398687783
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b383e8abed41cc6ff1a3b34de75df9397fa4878c