# CVE-2023-54016: wifi: ath12k: Fix memory leak in rx_desc and tx_desc

> A memory leak in the ath12k Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to exhaust system memory, causing denial of service.

- **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:** 24 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-54016, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54016, GHSA-35gj-2h6h-27p5, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2023-54016, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54016

## What is CVE-2023-54016?

CVE-2023-54016 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 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 rx_desc and tx_desc

Currently when ath12k_dp_cc_desc_init() is called we allocate
memory to rx_descs and tx_descs. In ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup(), during
descriptor cleanup rx_descs and tx_descs memory is not freed.

This is cause of memory leak. These allocated memory should be
freed in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.

In ath12k_dp_cc_desc_init(), we can save base address of rx_descs
and tx_descs. In ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup(), we can free rx_descs and
tx_descs memory using their base address.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54016?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-54016?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-54016 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54016 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54016 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-54016 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 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-2023-54016 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-2023-54016/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54016/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54016
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54016
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54016

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54016/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.