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5.5
MEDIUM CVSS 3.1
CVE-2023-53602
wifi: ath11k: fix memory leak in WMI firmware stats
Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: fix memory leak in WMI firmware stats Memory allocated for firmware pdev, vdev and beacon statistics are not released during rmmod. Fix it by calling ath11k_fw_stats_free() function before hardware unregister. While at it, avoid calling ath11k_fw_stats_free() while processing the firmware stats received in the WMI event because the local list is getting spliced and reinitialised and hence there are no elements in the list after splicing. Tested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.7.0.1-01744-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

INFO

Published Date :

Oct. 4, 2025, 4:15 p.m.

Last Modified :

Feb. 6, 2026, 1:57 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

No

Source :

416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2023-53602 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Linux linux_kernel
: Total Affected Vendor : 1 | Products : 1
CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 3.1 MEDIUM [email protected]
Solution
Free allocated memory for firmware statistics before hardware unregistration.
  • Call ath11k_fw_stats_free() before hardware unregister.
  • Avoid calling free() during firmware stats event processing.
  • Apply the Linux kernel patch to fix the memory leak.
  • Update the Linux kernel to the latest version.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2023-53602.

URL Resource
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/55248d36beb79d3a61c9fb3122dc377fff523c89 Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aafa1c2d3e3fea2ebe84c018003f2a91722e607 Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86f9330a49d1464849482298dd34d361859183eb Patch
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2023-53602 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2023-53602 weaknesses.

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2023-53602 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

Results are limited to the first 20 news articles due to potential performance issues.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2023-53602 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • Initial Analysis by [email protected]

    Feb. 06, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
    Added CWE CWE-401
    Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.2 up to (excluding) 6.4.7 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.6 up to (excluding) 6.1.42
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/55248d36beb79d3a61c9fb3122dc377fff523c89 Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aafa1c2d3e3fea2ebe84c018003f2a91722e607 Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86f9330a49d1464849482298dd34d361859183eb Types: Patch
  • New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

    Oct. 04, 2025

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: fix memory leak in WMI firmware stats Memory allocated for firmware pdev, vdev and beacon statistics are not released during rmmod. Fix it by calling ath11k_fw_stats_free() function before hardware unregister. While at it, avoid calling ath11k_fw_stats_free() while processing the firmware stats received in the WMI event because the local list is getting spliced and reinitialised and hence there are no elements in the list after splicing. Tested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.7.0.1-01744-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/55248d36beb79d3a61c9fb3122dc377fff523c89
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aafa1c2d3e3fea2ebe84c018003f2a91722e607
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86f9330a49d1464849482298dd34d361859183eb
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Scoring Details
Base CVSS Score: 5.5
Attack Vector
Attack Complexity
Privileges Required
User Interaction
Scope
Confidentiality Impact
Integrity Impact
Availability Impact