CVE-2025-38199 wifi: ath12k: Fix memory leak due to multiple rx_stats allocation
A memory leak in the ath12k WiFi driver allows attackers to exhaust system memory by repeatedly adding stations, causing denial of service.
- 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
What is CVE-2025-38199?
CVE-2025-38199 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 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 memory leak due to multiple rx_stats allocation
rx_stats for each arsta is allocated when adding a station. arsta->rx_stats will be freed when a station is removed.
Redundant allocations are occurring when the same station is added multiple times. This causes ath12k_mac_station_add() to be called multiple times, and rx_stats is allocated each time. As a result there is memory leaks.
Prevent multiple allocations of rx_stats when ath12k_mac_station_add() is called repeatedly by checking if rx_stats is already allocated before allocating again. Allocate arsta->rx_stats if arsta->rx_stats is NULL respectively.
Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.3.1-00173-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1 Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.0.c5-00481-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-3
Weakness: CWE-401
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38199?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38199?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2025-38199 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38199 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-38199, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38199, GHSA-99r3-6mv3-4x8m, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-38199, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2025-38199, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2025-38199 and 2 more.