CVE-2024-26897

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. This vulnerability affects the ath9k wireless driver in the Linux kernel, specifically used with ath9k_htc devices. The issue arises from a race condition where certain initialization processes are incomplete when the system begins handling WiFi-related events. The problem occurs because the device is exposed to the USB subsystem before the ath9k driver finishes initializing critical data structures. This can lead to NULL pointer dereferences, which cause system crashes, particularly when running specific commands or handling events during WiFi operations. A partial fix had been applied earlier to prevent one aspect of this issue, but further problems were identified. The final resolution was to delay all event handling in the ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() function until initialization is fully complete, ensuring stability.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.