# 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.

- **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:** 2 Sep 2026
- **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

## 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.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54141 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54141 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-2023-54141/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54141/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54141
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54141
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54141

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54141/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.