CVE-2023-53180

System crash via missing ath12k skb_cb pointer

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.3 through 6.4.6 allows local users to crash the system during ath12k interface removal. The management transmit path leaves the ath12k radio pointer unset in skb_cb, while txmgmt_idr cleanup later dereferences that pointer. The path requires local low-privileged access and an ath12k Wi-Fi device with pending management frames; impact is limited to a system crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.3 through 6.4.6 allows local users to crash the system during ath12k interface removal. The management transmit path leaves the ath12k radio pointer unset in skb_cb, while txmgmt_idr cleanup later dereferences that pointer. The path requires local low-privileged access and an ath12k Wi-Fi device with pending management frames; impact is limited to a system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53180
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <054b5580a36e435692c203c19abdcb9f7734320e
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7382d02160ef93c806fe1c1d4ef1fec445266747

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <054b5580a36e435692c203c19abdcb9f7734320e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7382d02160ef93c806fe1c1d4ef1fec445266747

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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