CVE-2023-54141 wifi: ath11k: Add missing hw_ops->get_ring_selector() for IPQ5018
A missing function pointer in the ath11k WiFi driver causes a kernel null pointer dereference, leading to a system crash when transmitting data.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-54141?
CVE-2023-54141 is a 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: ath11k: Add missing hw_ops->get_ring_selector() for IPQ5018
During sending data after clients connected, hw_ops->get_ring_selector() will be called. But for IPQ5018, this member isn't set, and the following NULL pointer exception will be occurred:
[ 38.840478] 8<--- cut here --- [ 38.840517] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000000 ... [ 38.923161] PC is at 0x0 [ 38.927930] LR is at ath11k_dp_tx+0x70/0x730 [ath11k] ... [ 39.063264] Process hostapd (pid: 1034, stack limit = 0x801ceb3d) [ 39.068994] Stack: (0x856a9a68 to 0x856aa000) ... [ 39.438467] [<7f323804>] (ath11k_dp_tx [ath11k]) from [<7f314e6c>] (ath11k_mac_op_tx+0x80/0x190 [ath11k]) [ 39.446607] [<7f314e6c>] (ath11k_mac_op_tx [ath11k]) from [<7f17dbe0>] (ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue+0x7c/0xc0 [mac80211]) [ 39.456162] [<7f17dbe0>] (ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue [mac80211]) from [<7f174450>] (ieee80211_probereq_get+0x584/0x704 [mac80211]) [ 39.467443] [<7f174450>] (ieee80211_probereq_get [mac80211]) from [<7f178c40>] (ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb+0x1f8/0x248 [mac80211]) [ 39.479334] [<7f178c40>] (ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb [mac80211]) from [<7f179e28>] (__ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x32c/0x3d4 [mac80211]) [ 39.491053] [<7f179e28>] (__ieee80211_subif_start_xmit [mac80211]) from [<7f17af08>] (ieee80211_tx_control_port+0x19c/0x288 [mac80211]) [ 39.502946] [<7f17af08>] (ieee80211_tx_control_port [mac80211]) from [<7f0fc704>] (nl80211_tx_control_port+0x174/0x1d4 [cfg80211]) [ 39.515017] [<7f0fc704>] (nl80211_tx_control_port [cfg80211]) from [<808ceac4>] (genl_rcv_msg+0x154/0x340) [ 39.526814] [<808ceac4>] (genl_rcv_msg) from [<808cdb74>] (netlink_rcv_skb+0xb8/0x11c) [ 39.536446] [<808cdb74>] (netlink_rcv_skb) from [<808ce1d0>] (genl_rcv+0x28/0x34) [ 39.544344] [<808ce1d0>] (genl_rcv) from [<808cd234>] (netlink_unicast+0x174/0x274) [ 39.551895] [<808cd234>] (netlink_unicast) from [<808cd510>] (netlink_sendmsg+0x1dc/0x440) [ 39.559362] [<808cd510>] (netlink_sendmsg) from [<808596e0>] (____sys_sendmsg+0x1a8/0x1fc) [ 39.567697] [<808596e0>] (____sys_sendmsg) from [<8085b1a8>] (___sys_sendmsg+0xa4/0xdc) [ 39.575941] [<8085b1a8>] (___sys_sendmsg) from [<8085b310>] (sys_sendmsg+0x44/0x74) [ 39.583841] [<8085b310>] (sys_sendmsg) from [<80300060>] (ret_fast_syscall+0x0/0x40) ... [ 39.620734] Code: bad PC value [ 39.625869] ---[ end trace 8aef983ad3cbc032 ]---
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54141?
How do I fix CVE-2023-54141?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2023-54141 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54141 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-54141, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54141, GHSA-mj5f-xm29-rm3f, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2023-54141, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54141.