CVE-2023-54036

Source
https://cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54036
Import Source
https://storage.googleapis.com/osv-test-cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2023-54036.json
JSON Data
https://api.test.osv.dev/v1/vulns/CVE-2023-54036
Downstream
Related
Published
2025-12-24T10:56:03.215Z
Modified
2026-03-20T12:33:24.938472Z
Summary
wifi: rtl8xxxu: Fix memory leaks with RTL8723BU, RTL8192EU
Details

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: rtl8xxxu: Fix memory leaks with RTL8723BU, RTL8192EU

The wifi + bluetooth combo chip RTL8723BU can leak memory (especially?) when it's connected to a bluetooth audio device. The busy bluetooth traffic generates lots of C2H (card to host) messages, which are not freed correctly.

To fix this, move the devkfreeskb() call in rtl8xxxuc2hcmdcallback() inside the loop where skb_dequeue() is called.

The RTL8192EU leaks memory because the C2H messages are added to the queue and left there forever. (This was fine in the past because it probably wasn't sending any C2H messages until commit e542e66b7c2e ("wifi: rtl8xxxu: gen2: Turn on the rate control"). Since that commit it sends a C2H message when the TX rate changes.)

To fix this, delete the check for rf_paths > 1 and the goto. Let the function process the C2H messages from RTL8192EU like the ones from the other chips.

Theoretically the RTL8188FU could also leak like RTL8723BU, but it most likely doesn't send C2H messages frequently enough.

This change was tested with RTL8723BU by Erhard F. I tested it with RTL8188FU and RTL8192EU.

Database specific
{
    "osv_generated_from": "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/54xxx/CVE-2023-54036.json",
    "cna_assigner": "Linux"
}
References

Affected packages

Git / git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git

Affected ranges

Type
GIT
Repo
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git
Events
Introduced
e542e66b7c2ee2adeefdbb7f259f2f60cadf2819
Fixed
430f9f9bec53a75f9ccc53e156a66f13fc098b83
Fixed
35fb0e275af1aa1ca0a9784417e90f988aaf8e78
Fixed
93c3f34ec02fc81188d328287d4fddd498ccddea
Fixed
f39a86b4efd270947ee252cc32a30b0aef492d65
Fixed
b39f662ce1648db0b9de32e6a849b098480793cb

Database specific

source
"https://storage.googleapis.com/osv-test-cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2023-54036.json"

Linux / Kernel

Package

Name
Kernel

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
5.5.0
Fixed
5.10.173
Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
5.11.0
Fixed
5.15.99
Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
5.16.0
Fixed
6.1.16
Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
6.2.0
Fixed
6.2.3

Database specific

source
"https://storage.googleapis.com/osv-test-cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2023-54036.json"