CVE-2023-52688
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a double-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ath12k WiFi driver. When the rfkill configuration fails, the error handler doesn't properly free allocated resources, potentially leading to memory corruption. This affects Linux systems using the ath12k WiFi driver.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with ath12k driver
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic, system crash, or potential privilege escalation leading to full system compromise.
Likely Case
System instability, crashes, or denial of service affecting WiFi functionality.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if exploit fails or system has memory protection features enabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access to trigger rfkill configuration error. No public exploits known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 898d8b3e1414cd900492ee6a0b582f8095ba4a1a or b4e593a7a22fa3c7d0550ef51c90b5c21f790aa8
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/898d8b3e1414cd900492ee6a0b582f8095ba4a1a
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ath12k driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable ath12k driver module
echo 'blacklist ath12k' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ath12k.conf
rmmod ath12k
Disable WiFi interface
linuxTurn off WiFi functionality to prevent rfkill configuration
ip link set wlan0 down
rfkill block wifi
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable ath12k driver module loading
- Implement strict access controls to prevent local users from modifying WiFi configuration
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if ath12k module is loaded: lsmod | grep ath12kCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version includes fix commits: uname -r and verify against patched versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- OOM killer activity
- ath12k driver error messages in dmesg
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected WiFi interface disconnections
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("ath12k" OR "rfkill") AND ("error" OR "panic" OR "crash")