# CVE-2023-54300: wifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx

> A missing length check in the ath9k Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to read uninitialized memory or cause a crash via crafted packets.

- **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:** 30 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2023-54300, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-54300, GHSA-2337-fj37-r35q, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-54300

## What is CVE-2023-54300?

CVE-2023-54300 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 30 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: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx

For the reasons also described in commit b383e8abed41 ("wifi: ath9k: avoid
uninit memory read in ath9k_htc_rx_msg()"), ath9k_htc_rx_msg() should
validate pkt_len before accessing the SKB.

For example, the obtained SKB may have been badly constructed with
pkt_len = 8. In this case, the SKB can only contain a valid htc_frame_hdr
but after being processed in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() and passed to
ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx() endpoint RX handler, it is expected to have a WMI
command header which should be located inside its data payload.

Implement sanity checking inside ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx(). Otherwise, uninit
memory can be referenced.

Tested on Qualcomm Atheros Communications AR9271 802.11n .

Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-54300?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-54300?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-54300 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-54300 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-54300 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-54300 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 30 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-2023-54300 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-2023-54300/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54300/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54300
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54300
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54300

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-54300/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.