# CVE-2023-53767: wifi: ath12k: fix memory leak in ath12k_qmi_driver_event_work()

> A memory leak in the ath12k Wi-Fi driver can lead to resource exhaustion and denial of service, requiring kernel patches.

- **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:** 8 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-53767, GHSA-rw7c-q4g4-f6m7, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2023-53767, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-53767

## What is CVE-2023-53767?

CVE-2023-53767 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 8 Dec 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: ath12k: fix memory leak in ath12k_qmi_driver_event_work()

Currently the buffer pointed by event is not freed in case
ATH12K_FLAG_UNREGISTERING bit is set, this causes memory leak.

Add a goto skip instead of return, to ensure event and all the
list entries are freed properly.

Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.0.1-00029-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53767?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-53767?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-53767 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-53767 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53767 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53767 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 8 Dec 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-2023-53767 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-2023-53767/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53767/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53767
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53767
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53767

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53767/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.