Root-only service interruption via beacon-template memory leak
Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026
Memory leak in the ath11k Wi-Fi driver in Linux Kernel 6.5 through 7.0.9 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during AP setup. The ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_ema() and ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_mbssid() functions allocate beacon templates but omit freeing them when parameter setup fails. Exploitation requires uid 0 or CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial user namespace and a physical ath11k device configured in AP mode, making reachability effectively root-only.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the ath11k Wi-Fi driver in Linux Kernel 6.5 through 7.0.9 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during AP setup. The ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_ema() and ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_mbssid() functions allocate beacon templates but omit freeing them when parameter setup fails. Exploitation requires uid 0 or CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial user namespace and a physical ath11k device configured in AP mode, making reachability effectively root-only.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53113
- Published
- Jun 24, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 24, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 24, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=335a92765d308dfe22826f5562cd4b4389b45e71 <5d63aa38d5ca85206d9699ffdd616b58780dba07
- Affected versionversion=335a92765d308dfe22826f5562cd4b4389b45e71 <ff49eba595df500e4ddccc593088c8a4ab5f2c27
- Affected versionversion=6.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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