Firmware Resource Deinitialization Flaw in Linux Kernel's Atheros ath11k

CVE-2023-53532

What is CVE-2023-53532?

A vulnerability has been identified in the Atheros ath11k component of the Linux kernel, related to the improper deinitialization of firmware resources. The issue arises during the shutdown process of the ath11k driver, specifically when dealing with chipsets that do not use fixed firmware memory. In such cases, the system incorrectly attempts to unmap a memory area that was not mapped initially, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. This flaw can be exploited to cause potential system instability or crashes, highlighting the need for observant management of firmware resource states.

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