wifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx

{
  "id": "12648ef0620e3272605a77cb07bf25fb482b61970eb34fb5cb4abe8e3a6142d3",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-54300",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "wifi: ath9k: avoid referencing uninit memory in ath9k_wmi_ctrl_rx",
    "summary": "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.",
    "evidence": "osv:CVE-2023-54300",
    "products": [
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          "value": "Kernel",
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        "prerequisites": [],
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    "severity": "unknown",
    "structured": {
      "id": "CVE-2023-54300",
      "aliases": [
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      "modified": "2026-10-28T02:30:40.532864255Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "references": [
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0bc12e41af4e3ae1f0efecc377f0514459df0707",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/250efb4d3f5b32a115ea6bf25437ba44a1b3c04f",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28259ce4f1f1f9ab37fa817756c89098213d2fc0",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75acec91aeaa07375cd5f418069e61b16d39bbad",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ed572e52714593b209e3aa352406aff84481179",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90e3c10177573b8662ac9858abd9bf731d5d98e0",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad5425e70789c29b93acafb5bb4629e4eb908296",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1c2ff2bd84c3692c9df267a2b991ce92bfca8ef",
        "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f24292e827088bba8de7158501ac25a59b064953",
        "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/54xxx/CVE-2023-54300.json",
        "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54300",
        "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git"
      ],
      "provider_metadata": {
        "cna_assigner": "Linux",
        "osv_generated_from": "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/54xxx/CVE-2023-54300.json"
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        "evidence": "/id"
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    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": null
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 508238,
  "published_at": "2025-12-30T12:23:35.819+00:00"
}