# CVE-2023-53717: wifi: ath9k: Fix potential stack-out-of-bounds write in ath9k_wmi_rsp_callback()

> A stack-out-of-bounds write in the ath9k Wi-Fi driver allows attackers with local access or proximity to cause memory corruption, potentially leading to code execution or system crashes.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53717, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-53717, GHSA-qfvg-x2cj-cf5g, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53717

## What is CVE-2023-53717?

CVE-2023-53717 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 22 Oct 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: ath9k: Fix potential stack-out-of-bounds write in ath9k_wmi_rsp_callback()

Fix a stack-out-of-bounds write that occurs in a WMI response callback
function that is called after a timeout occurs in ath9k_wmi_cmd().
The callback writes to wmi->cmd_rsp_buf, a stack-allocated buffer that
could no longer be valid when a timeout occurs. Set wmi->last_seq_id to
0 when a timeout occurred.

Found by a modified version of syzkaller.

BUG: KASAN: stack-out-of-bounds in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx
Write of size 4
Call Trace:
 memcpy
 ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx
 ath9k_htc_rx_msg
 ath9k_hif_usb_reg_in_cb
 __usb_hcd_giveback_urb
 usb_hcd_giveback_urb
 dummy_timer
 call_timer_fn
 run_timer_softirq
 __do_softirq
 irq_exit_rcu
 sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53717?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-53717?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53717 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53717 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53717 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53717 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 22 Oct 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53717 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53717/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53717/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53717
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53717
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53717

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53717/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.