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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

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

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.16% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38, 3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd, 61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cf.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38, 3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd, 61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cf or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

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.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 5th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel2.6.38 and later · before 4.19.276
  • linux linux kernel4.20 and later · before 5.4.235
  • linux linux kernel5.5 and later · before 5.10.173
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.99
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.16
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.2.3

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 2.6.38affected
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before 3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cdaffected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before cd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9faffected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before f26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd23108309947affected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before 61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cfaffected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before 9acdec72787af1bc8ed92711b52118c8e3e638a2affected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before c766e37fccd5a5c5059be7efcd9618bf8a2c17c3affected · git
    • 44b23b488d44e56d467764ecb661830e5b02b308 and later · before 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38affected · git
    • before 2.6.38not affected · semver
    • 4.19.276 and later · up to and including 4.19.*not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.20-16.1.20-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50336Sep 15, 2025 · fs/ntfs3: Add null pointer check to attr_load_runs_vcn
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50337Sep 15, 2025 · ocxl: fix pci device refcount leak when calling get_function_0()
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-53200Sep 15, 2025 · netfilter: x_tables: fix percpu counter block leak on error path when creating new netns
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cdVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cfVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux9acdec72787af1bc8ed92711b52118c8e3e638a2Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxc766e37fccd5a5c5059be7efcd9618bf8a2c17c3Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxcd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9fVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxf26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd23108309947Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.20-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2026-64003307 days apartscsi: core: Run queues for all non-SDEV_DEL devices from scsi_run_host_queues
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2022-5018989 days aparttools/power turbostat: Fix file pointer leak
    28Monitor
  • CVE-2023-531520 days apartdrm/amdgpu: fix calltrace warning in amddrm_buddy_fini
    22Monitor
  • CVE-2026-22997132 days apartnet: can: j1939: j1939_xtp_rx_rts_session_active(): deactivate session upon receiving the second rts
    22Monitor
  • CVE-2025-71232156 days apartscsi: qla2xxx: Free sp in error path to fix system crash
    22Monitor
  • CVE-2026-23219156 days apartmm/slab: Add alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook for memcg_alloc_abort_single
    22Monitor

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-772 · Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Attack patterns (CAPEC)

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (6 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records