CVE-2023-53199
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ath9k WiFi driver allows attackers to cause denial of service through resource exhaustion. Systems using affected WiFi hardware with the ath9k driver are vulnerable. The vulnerability requires local access or ability to send malformed WiFi packets to the target.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with ath9k WiFi 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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
System crash or kernel panic due to memory exhaustion, potentially requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
Degraded system performance, WiFi connectivity issues, or service disruption.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper memory limits and monitoring in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending malformed WiFi packets to trigger the memory leak condition. No public exploit code available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions containing commits 0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel package. 3. Rebuild kernel if using custom kernel with backported patch. 4. No reboot required if using live kernel update capabilities.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ath9k_hif_usb module
allPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist ath9k_hif_usb' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ath9k.conf
rmmod ath9k_hif_usb
Restrict WiFi access
allLimit WiFi network exposure to trusted devices only
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation for WiFi networks
- Monitor system memory usage and implement alerts for abnormal consumption
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if ath9k_hif_usb module is loaded: lsmod | grep ath9k_hif_usbCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version is patched: uname -r and verify against distribution security advisories📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Abnormal memory consumption in system logs
- WiFi driver error messages
Network Indicators:
- Unusual WiFi packet patterns targeting ath9k devices
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("ath9k" OR "oom-killer" OR "memory exhaustion")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/61490d2710277e8a55009b7682456ae22f8087cf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9acdec72787af1bc8ed92711b52118c8e3e638a2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c766e37fccd5a5c5059be7efcd9618bf8a2c17c3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd23108309947
