CVE-2023-53802 | wifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: htc_hst: free skb in ath9k_htc_rx_msg() if there is no callback function It is stated that ath9k_htc_rx_msg() either frees the provided skb or passes its management to another callback function. However, the skb is not freed in case there is no another callback function, and Syzkaller was able to cause a memory leak. Also minor comment fix. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

Published: 2025-12-09 Last update: 2026-04-15 Assigner: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2023-53802 is rated Low Risk (5.8/100): low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.02%). Mandatory action: Low composite risk—no urgent action required; patch on your normal maintenance cycle and revisit priority if CVSS or EPSS increases.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-53802

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-12-09 0.02%

Full EPSS history (1 record total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-53802

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

No CVSS data in dataset for this CVE.

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-53802

OS Trackers for CVE-2023-53802

vendor priority summary link
debian not yet assigned CVE-2023-53802 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (linux), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-53802
redhat medium https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-53802
suse medium https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-53802/
ubuntu medium CVE-2023-53802 medium priority: Ubuntu including 157 source packages (linux, linux-allwinner-5.19, …), 1405 status rows across 9 suites (bionic, focal, jammy, noble, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): DNE 1010, ignored 176, released 131, not-affected 68, needed 19, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-53802

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-53802

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
No affected products in dataset.

References for CVE-2023-53802

cvelogic Threat Intelligence