CVE-2024-53156

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ath9k wireless driver. A local user can exploit missing range validation of the endpoint identifier during device communication, leading to an out-of-bounds array access. This vulnerability can lead to a Denial of Service (DoS) by crashing the kernel and may potentially disclose sensitive kernel memory.

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.

Prevent the ath9k_htc kernel module from being loaded by blacklisting the driver:

1. Create a configuration file in /etc/modprobe.d/:

echo "install ath9k_htc /bin/true" > /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k_htc.conf

echo "blacklist ath9k_htc" >> /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k_htc.conf

2. If the module is currently loaded, unload it:

modprobe -r ath9k_htc

Caveat: Disabling this module prevents the system from operating Atheros USB wireless network adapters. A system reboot may be required if the module is actively in use and cannot be unloaded.