CVE-2023-54141
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided

Null Pointer Dereference in Linux ath11k Driver on IPQ

Publication date: 2025-12-24

Last updated on: 2025-12-24

Assigner: kernel.org

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 ]---

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Meta Information

Published
2025-12-24
Last Modified
2025-12-24
Generated
2026-07-06
AI Q&A
2025-12-24
EPSS Evaluated
2026-07-05
NVD
CVE-2023-54141
EUVD
EUVD-2023-60304

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability occurs in the Linux kernel's ath11k wireless driver for the IPQ5018 chipset. The driver is missing an assignment for the function pointer hw_ops->get_ring_selector. When data is sent after clients connect, the system calls this function pointer, but since it is not set for IPQ5018, a NULL pointer dereference happens, causing a kernel crash (NULL pointer exception).

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash due to a NULL pointer dereference when sending data over the wireless interface on affected hardware (IPQ5018). This can lead to denial of service, disrupting network connectivity and potentially requiring a system reboot to recover.

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