# CVE-2025-38116: wifi: ath12k: fix uaf in ath12k_core_init()

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the ath12k WiFi driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute code via improper notifier chain cleanup.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38116, GHSA-r89f-gr53-57qh, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38116

## What is CVE-2025-38116?

CVE-2025-38116 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Jul 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 uaf in ath12k_core_init()

When the execution of ath12k_core_hw_group_assign() or
ath12k_core_hw_group_create() fails, the registered notifier chain is not
unregistered properly. Its memory is freed after rmmod, which may trigger
to a use-after-free (UAF) issue if there is a subsequent access to this
notifier chain.

Fixes the issue by calling ath12k_core_panic_notifier_unregister() in
failure cases.

Call trace:
 notifier_chain_register+0x4c/0x1f0 (P)
 atomic_notifier_chain_register+0x38/0x68
 ath12k_core_init+0x50/0x4e8 [ath12k]
 ath12k_pci_probe+0x5f8/0xc28 [ath12k]
 pci_device_probe+0xbc/0x1a8
 really_probe+0xc8/0x3a0
 __driver_probe_device+0x84/0x1b0
 driver_probe_device+0x44/0x130
 __driver_attach+0xcc/0x208
 bus_for_each_dev+0x84/0x100
 driver_attach+0x2c/0x40
 bus_add_driver+0x130/0x260
 driver_register+0x70/0x138
 __pci_register_driver+0x68/0x80
 ath12k_pci_init+0x30/0x68 [ath12k]
 ath12k_init+0x28/0x78 [ath12k]

Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.0.c5-00481-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-3

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38116?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38116?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38116 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38116 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-38116 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38116 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Jul 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-2025-38116 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2025-38116/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38116/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38116
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38116
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38116

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38116/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.