5.5

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

Analyzed
AliasesUBUNTU-CVE-2023-53199DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53199
Published 15-09-2025Last modified 11-05-2026

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-53199 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.16% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 5.1% of scored vulnerabilities.

Priority
Routine

Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?
CVSS score
5.5/10
010
Medium · v3.1 (NVD)
EPSS score
0.16%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 5 · Related 5
SUSE-SU-2025:03614-1SUSE-SU-2025:03615-1SUSE-SU-2025:03628-1SUSE-SU-2025:3716-1SUSE-SU-2025:3761-1

Timeline

  1. 15-09-2025
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 11-05-2026
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

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.

CVSS metrics

4 scores · 3 sources · 2 versions

EPSS trend

Probability

0.16%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

5%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 0.16% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Ubuntu121 products
  • linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.4.0-152.169 | < 5.15.0-75.82
  • linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
  • linux-awsAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.4.0-1104.112 | < 5.15.0-1038.43
  • linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
  • linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
  • linux≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < 3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < cd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9f | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < f26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd23108309947 | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < 61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cf | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < 9acdec72787af1bc8ed92711b52118c8e3e638a2 | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < c766e37fccd5a5c5059be7efcd9618bf8a2c17c3 | ≥ 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308, < 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38 | 2.6.38
  • linux_kernel≥ 2.6.38, < 4.19.276 | ≥ 4.20, < 5.4.235 | ≥ 5.5, < 5.10.173 | ≥ 5.11, < 5.15.99 | ≥ 5.16, < 6.1.16 | ≥ 6.2, < 6.2.3
Debian1 product
  • linux< 6.1.20-1

3 vendors · 124 products

References

11 links
Show all 11 references