CVE-2025-23133 wifi: ath11k: update channel list in reg notifier instead reg worker
A race condition in the ath11k WiFi driver causes an out-of-bounds write, potentially allowing local attackers to execute code or crash the system.
- 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-2025-23133?
CVE-2025-23133 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Apr 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: update channel list in reg notifier instead reg worker
Currently when ath11k gets a new channel list, it will be processed according to the following steps: 1. update new channel list to cfg80211 and queue reg_work. 2. cfg80211 handles new channel list during reg_work. 3. update cfg80211's handled channel list to firmware by ath11k_reg_update_chan_list().
But ath11k will immediately execute step 3 after reg_work is just queued. Since step 2 is asynchronous, cfg80211 may not have completed handling the new channel list, which may leading to an out-of-bounds write error: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ath11k_reg_update_chan_list Call Trace: ath11k_reg_update_chan_list+0xbfe/0xfe0 [ath11k] kfree+0x109/0x3a0 ath11k_regd_update+0x1cf/0x350 [ath11k] ath11k_regd_update_work+0x14/0x20 [ath11k] process_one_work+0xe35/0x14c0
Should ensure step 2 is completely done before executing step 3. Thus Wen raised patch[1]. When flag NL80211_REGDOM_SET_BY_DRIVER is set, cfg80211 will notify ath11k after step 2 is done.
So enable the flag NL80211_REGDOM_SET_BY_DRIVER then cfg80211 will notify ath11k after step 2 is done. At this time, there will be no KASAN bug during the execution of the step 3.
[1] https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/linux-wireless/patch/[email protected]/
Tested-on: WCN6855 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HSP.1.1-03125-QCAHSPSWPL_V1_V2_SILICONZ_LITE-3
Weakness: CWE-787
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-23133?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-23133?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2025-23133 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-23133 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-23133, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-23133, GHSA-5fx5-c375-9927, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-23133, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2025-23133, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2025-23133 and 2 more.