{"id":"CVE-2023-54300","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"wifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx\n\nFor the reasons also described in commit b383e8abed41 (\"wifi: ath9k: avoid\nuninit memory read in ath9k_htc_rx_msg()\"), ath9k_htc_rx_msg() should\nvalidate pkt_len before accessing the SKB.\n\nFor example, the obtained SKB may have been badly constructed with\npkt_len = 8. In this case, the SKB can only contain a valid htc_frame_hdr\nbut after being processed in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() and passed to\nath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx() endpoint RX handler, it is expected to have a WMI\ncommand header which should be located inside its data payload.\n\nImplement sanity checking inside ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx(). Otherwise, uninit\nmemory can be referenced.\n\nTested on Qualcomm Atheros Communications AR9271 802.11n .\n\nFound by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.","publishedAt":"2025-12-30T12:23:35.819Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-11T19:59:17.912Z","severity":null,"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"0bc12e41af4e3ae1f0efecc377f0514459df0707","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"28259ce4f1f1f9ab37fa817756c89098213d2fc0","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"90e3c10177573b8662ac9858abd9bf731d5d98e0","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"250efb4d3f5b32a115ea6bf25437ba44a1b3c04f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"ad5425e70789c29b93acafb5bb4629e4eb908296","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"d1c2ff2bd84c3692c9df267a2b991ce92bfca8ef","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ed572e52714593b209e3aa352406aff84481179","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"75acec91aeaa07375cd5f418069e61b16d39bbad","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"f24292e827088bba8de7158501ac25a59b064953","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"2.6.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"2.6.35","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.14.322","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.14.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.19.291","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.19.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.4.251","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.188","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.121","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.39","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3.13","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.3.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.4.4","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0bc12e41af4e3ae1f0efecc377f0514459df0707","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28259ce4f1f1f9ab37fa817756c89098213d2fc0","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90e3c10177573b8662ac9858abd9bf731d5d98e0","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/250efb4d3f5b32a115ea6bf25437ba44a1b3c04f","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad5425e70789c29b93acafb5bb4629e4eb908296","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1c2ff2bd84c3692c9df267a2b991ce92bfca8ef","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ed572e52714593b209e3aa352406aff84481179","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75acec91aeaa07375cd5f418069e61b16d39bbad","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f24292e827088bba8de7158501ac25a59b064953"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:06:42.242Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2023/54xxx/CVE-2023-54300.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2023-54300","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2025-12-30T12:23:35.819Z","dateUpdated":"2026-05-11T19:59:17.912Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2025-12-30T12:06:44.528Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"wifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx\n\nFor the reasons also described in commit b383e8abed41 (\"wifi: ath9k: avoid\nuninit memory read in ath9k_htc_rx_msg()\"), ath9k_htc_rx_msg() should\nvalidate pkt_len before accessing the SKB.\n\nFor example, the obtained SKB may have been badly constructed with\npkt_len = 8. In this case, the SKB can only contain a valid htc_frame_hdr\nbut after being processed in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() and passed to\nath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx() endpoint RX handler, it is expected to have a WMI\ncommand header which should be located inside its data payload.\n\nImplement sanity checking inside ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx(). Otherwise, uninit\nmemory can be referenced.\n\nTested on Qualcomm Atheros Communications AR9271 802.11n .\n\nFound by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"0bc12e41af4e3ae1f0efecc377f0514459df0707","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"28259ce4f1f1f9ab37fa817756c89098213d2fc0","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"90e3c10177573b8662ac9858abd9bf731d5d98e0","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"250efb4d3f5b32a115ea6bf25437ba44a1b3c04f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"ad5425e70789c29b93acafb5bb4629e4eb908296","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"d1c2ff2bd84c3692c9df267a2b991ce92bfca8ef","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ed572e52714593b209e3aa352406aff84481179","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"75acec91aeaa07375cd5f418069e61b16d39bbad","versionType":"git"},{"version":"fb9987d0f748c983bb795a86f47522313f701a08","status":"affected","lessThan":"f24292e827088bba8de7158501ac25a59b064953","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"2.6.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"2.6.35","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.14.322","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.14.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"4.19.291","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"4.19.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.4.251","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.188","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.121","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.39","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.3.13","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.3.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.4.4","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.4.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0bc12e41af4e3ae1f0efecc377f0514459df0707"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28259ce4f1f1f9ab37fa817756c89098213d2fc0"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90e3c10177573b8662ac9858abd9bf731d5d98e0"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/250efb4d3f5b32a115ea6bf25437ba44a1b3c04f"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad5425e70789c29b93acafb5bb4629e4eb908296"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1c2ff2bd84c3692c9df267a2b991ce92bfca8ef"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ed572e52714593b209e3aa352406aff84481179"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75acec91aeaa07375cd5f418069e61b16d39bbad"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f24292e827088bba8de7158501ac25a59b064953"}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-05-11T19:59:17.912Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"4.14.322"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"4.19.291"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"5.4.251"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.188"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.121"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.39"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"6.3.13"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"6.4.4"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"2.6.35","versionEndExcluding":"6.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