CVE-2025-23133

Kernel memory corruption via regulatory-update race

Published Apr 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Out-of-bounds write in the ath11k Wi-Fi driver in affected Linux kernels allows adjacent attackers to corrupt kernel memory. ath11k_reg_update_chan_list writes a stale cfg80211 channel count into a newly sized firmware list before asynchronous regulatory processing completes. A system requires affected ath11k hardware with Wi-Fi up and scanning; forged 802.11d beacons need no association and can crash the kernel.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in the ath11k Wi-Fi driver in affected Linux kernels allows adjacent attackers to corrupt kernel memory. ath11k_reg_update_chan_list writes a stale cfg80211 channel count into a newly sized firmware list before asynchronous regulatory processing completes. A system requires affected ath11k hardware with Wi-Fi up and scanning; forged 802.11d beacons need no association and can crash the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-23133
Published
Apr 16, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-787, T1499, T1203
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=5.15.79 <5.16
  2. Affected versionversion=6.0.9 <6.1
  3. Affected versionversion=6.1
  4. Affected versionversion=c97b120950b49d76bdce013bd4d9577d769465f4
  5. Affected versionversion=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <26618c039b78a76c373d4e02c5fbd52e3a73aead
  6. Affected versionversion=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <933ab187e679e6fbdeea1835ae39efcc59c022d2
  7. Affected versionversion=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <f952fb83c9c6f908d27500764c4aee1df04b9d3f
  8. Affected versionversion=f96fd36936310cefe0ea1370a9ae30e6746e6f62

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15.79 <5.16; version=6.0.9 <6.1; version=6.1; version=c97b120950b49d76bdce013bd4d9577d769465f4; version=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <26618c039b78a76c373d4e02c5fbd52e3a73aead; version=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <933ab187e679e6fbdeea1835ae39efcc59c022d2; version=f45cb6b29cd36514e13f7519770873d8c0457008 <f952fb83c9c6f908d27500764c4aee1df04b9d3f; version=f96fd36936310cefe0ea1370a9ae30e6746e6f62

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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