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Vulnerability · Published Sep 15, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

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

Medium 5.5

In plain English

A medium-severity 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 5% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS NVD)5.5Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 94.8% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official 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 packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.20-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53199
Debian:13linux6.1.20-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53199
Debian:14linux6.1.20-1DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-75.82UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1038.43UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1040.47UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde5.15.0-1041.48.1UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1036.44UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1036.41UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1022.27UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1032.35UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1033.38UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1035.40UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-75.82UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1027.27UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1015.15UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1037.43UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1032.35UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before 3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before cd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9f44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before f26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd2310830994744b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before 61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cf44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before 9acdec72787af1bc8ed92711b52118c8e3e638a244b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before c766e37fccd5a5c5059be7efcd9618bf8a2c17c344b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 – before 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38
Linux Linux 2.6.38

References