Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2024-56541

High · 7.8

CVSS

7.8

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Dec 27, 2024

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Monitor only SSVC: Track

A flaw in certain Linux WiFi drivers can crash the computer when the wireless software is being removed or updated.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
High
Impact
Full Compromise
Component
OS kernel
Class
Use After Free
Remediation
Upgrade
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

Use-after-free in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup() where freed ar structures from pending skbs are accessed during ath12k module removal after mac80211 unregistration and hw free.

Why it matters to the business

Kernel instability or crashes on systems using ath12k WiFi hardware when unloading the module, disrupting wireless connectivity and requiring reboots; high prevalence in Linux distributions increases exposure for affected devices.

How an attack unfolds

Local attacker triggers ath12k module unload (e.g., via rmmod or driver detach) while data packets remain pending; the cleanup path then dereferences ar pointers from skb->cb that were freed earlier in ath12k_mac_destroy(), leading to KASAN-detected write-after-free.

How to fix it

Update to kernel containing commit e5e15c8b42923bfb6c84d3d906a9965d9a0f111d which avoids ar access from skb->cb on unregister; apply equivalent fixes in stable trees or distribution kernels.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm patch presence by inspecting ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup for conditional skb release logic without ar dereference; test module load/unload cycles and verify absence of KASAN reports.

Typical attack path

  1. Gain local user access on target Linux system
  2. Ensure pending skbs exist in ath12k driver queues
  3. Initiate module removal or PCI device detach for ath12k
  4. Trigger ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup access to freed ar structures

How to detect it

Scan kernel logs (dmesg, journalctl) for KASAN use-after-free reports citing ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup during modprobe, pci_remove, or delete_module; correlate with ath12k module unload events.

  • ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.part.0
  • BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup
  • Write of size 4 at addr.*ath12k
  • ath12k_pci_remove
  • ath12k_core_deinit

What your security team should do

  • Prioritize kernel updates containing the referenced commit for all systems with ath12k hardware
  • Harden module unload paths and monitor for driver-related oops in production
  • Restrict unprivileged module removal via kernel module signing and CAP_SYS_MODULE controls

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: fix use-after-free in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup() During ath12k module removal, in ath12k_core_deinit(), ath12k_mac_destroy() un-registers ah->hw from mac80211 and frees the ah->hw as well as all the ar's in it. After this ath12k_core_soc_destroy()-> ath12k_dp_free()-> ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup() tries to access one of the freed ar's from pending skb. This is because during mac destroy, driver failed to flush few data packets, which were accessed later in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup() and freed, but using ar from the packet led to this use-after-free. BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.part.0+0x5e2/0xd40 [ath12k] Write of size 4 at addr ffff888150bd3514 by task modprobe/8926 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 8926 Comm: modprobe Not tainted 6.11.0-rc2-wt-ath+ #1746 Hardware name: Intel(R) Client Systems NUC8i7HVK/NUC8i7HVB, BIOS HNKBLi70.86A.0067.2021.0528.1339 05/28/2021 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x7d/0xe0 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x33/0x3a0 print_report+0xb5/0x260 ? kasan_addr_to_slab+0x24/0x80 kasan_report+0xd8/0x110 ? ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.part.0+0x5e2/0xd40 [ath12k] ? ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.part.0+0x5e2/0xd40 [ath12k] kasan_check_range+0xf3/0x1a0 __kasan_check_write+0x14/0x20 ath12k_dp_cc_cleanup.part.0+0x5e2/0xd40 [ath12k] ath12k_dp_free+0x178/0x420 [ath12k] ath12k_core_stop+0x176/0x200 [ath12k] ath12k_core_deinit+0x13f/0x210 [ath12k] ath12k_pci_remove+0xad/0x1c0 [ath12k] pci_device_remove+0x9b/0x1b0 device_remove+0xbf/0x150 device_release_driver_internal+0x3c3/0x580 ? __kasan_check_read+0x11/0x20 driver_detach+0xc4/0x190 bus_remove_driver+0x130/0x2a0 driver_unregister+0x68/0x90 pci_unregister_driver+0x24/0x240 ? find_module_all+0x13e/0x1e0 ath12k_pci_exit+0x10/0x20 [ath12k] __do_sys_delete_module+0x32c/0x580 ? module_flags+0x2f0/0x2f0 ? kmem_cache_free+0xf0/0x410 ? __fput+0x56f/0xab0 ? __fput+0x56f/0xab0 ? debug_smp_processor_id+0x17/0x20 __x64_sys_delete_module+0x4f/0x70 x64_sys_call+0x522/0x9f0 do_syscall_64+0x64/0x130 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53 RIP: 0033:0x7f8182c6ac8b Commit 24de1b7b231c ("wifi: ath12k: fix flush failure in recovery scenarios") added the change to decrement the pending packets count in case of recovery which make sense as ah->hw as well all ar's in it are intact during recovery, but during core deinit there is no use in decrementing packets count or waking up the empty waitq as the module is going to be removed also ar's from pending skb's can't be used and the packets should just be released back. To fix this, avoid accessing ar from skb->cb when driver is being unregistered. Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.1.1-00214-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1 Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.0.c5-00481-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-3

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
Debian:13 linux 0 6.12.3-1
Linux Kernel 6.10.0 6.11.11
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux 0 3.11.0-12.19
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial 0 4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux 0 4.4.0-2.16
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1001.10
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe 0 4.15.0-1030.31~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 4.10.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 4.8.0-39.42~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.4.0-1004.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9~16.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux 0 4.13.0-16.19
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.15.0-1001.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.4 0 5.4.0-1018.18~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-4.15 0 4.15.0-1082.92
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.4 0 5.4.0-1020.20~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-4.15 0 4.15.0-1071.81
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.4 0 5.4.0-1019.19~18.04.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.4 0 5.4.0-37.41~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.4 0 5.4.0-1010.11~18.04.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oem 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.4 0 5.4.0-1019.19~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-raspi-5.4 0 5.4.0-1013.13~18.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux 0 5.4.0-9.12
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.15 0 5.15.0-1014.18~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.4.0-1006.6
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.8~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-bluefield 0 5.4.0-1007.10
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.15 0 5.15.0-1006.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.4.0-1003.4
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.15 0 5.15.0-1033.36~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 0 5.15.0-1003.5~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-iot 0 5.4.0-1001.3
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.4.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.10 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.14 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.6 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 5.4.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.15 0 5.15.0-1015.17~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 5.4.0-1020.24
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux 0 5.13.0-19.19
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-allwinner-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 6.8.0-1009.9~22.04.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.13.0-1006.7
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.8 0 6.8.0-1008.8~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.8 0 6.8.0-1010.11~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gke 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 5.15.0-1001.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-38.38~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 5.15.0-1021.26
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg 0 5.15.0-1004.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.13.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 5.15.0-22.22
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-38.38.1~22.04.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 5.15.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 0 6.8.0-1008.8~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-5.17 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.1 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 5.13.0-1008.10
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.8 0 6.8.0-1006.6~22.04.3
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 5.13.0-1008.9
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.8 0 6.8.0-38.38.1~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 5.15.0-1022.26
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS:for:NVIDIA:BlueField linux-bluefield 0 5.15.0-1011.13
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux 0 6.5.0-9.9
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-aws 0 6.5.0-1008.8
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure 0 6.5.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 6.5.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gke 0 6.8.0-1003.5
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 6.8.0-1001.3
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 6.5.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 6.5.0-9.9.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 6.8.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 0 6.8.0-1009.9.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 6.11.0-1015.15
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.8 0 6.8.0-1003.3
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 6.5.0-1010.10
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 6.5.0-1005.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi-realtime 0 6.7.0-2001.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 6.8.0-1008.19
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 6.5.0-9.9.1
Ubuntu:24.10 linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux 0 6.11.0-18.18
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-aws 0 6.11.0-1009.10
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-azure 0 6.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-gcp 0 6.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-lowlatency 0 6.11.0-1010.11
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-oracle 0 6.11.0-1011.12
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-raspi 0 6.11.0-1008.8
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-realtime 0 6.11.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix

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