Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-53226 is a Linux kernel flaw in mwifiex Wi-Fi packet handling. The bug can cause out-of-bounds buffer access and integer underflow during receive processing. The published impact is denial of service, not data theft or privilege escalation. It matters most for systems running affected kernels with this Wi-Fi driver path present.
Executive priority
Treat as a routine but time-bound kernel availability fix. Prioritize laptops, appliances, and embedded Linux assets using affected Wi-Fi support. It is lower urgency than exploited remote-code vulnerabilities, but unpatched systems may still face stability or denial-of-service risk.
Technical view
The kernel fix adds bounds checks across mwifiex management, station, UAP, bridged, and generic receive packet paths to prevent skb->data out-of-bounds access. The CVE maps to CWE-191 and has CVSS 3.1 score 5.5 with local, low-privilege attack characteristics and high availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems in the listed affected kernel versions where mwifiex Wi-Fi functionality is built, loaded, or shipped by a distribution. The source bundle does not identify specific distributions, devices, chipsets, or cloud images, so asset confirmation is required.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not report active exploitation, and KEV is false. CVSS indicates local access with low privileges, no user interaction, and availability-only impact. Researchers should avoid assuming remote exploitability from the Wi-Fi receive-path wording without additional vendor evidence.
Researcher notes
The CVE record provides affected version ranges and stable commit references, but not exploit details, distribution mapping, or device-specific exposure. The safest validation path is kernel version, driver presence, and vendor backport confirmation rather than proof-of-concept testing.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check vendor or distribution advisories for backported fixed package versions.
- Prioritize systems where mwifiex Wi-Fi support is enabled or required.
- Track remediation through normal kernel patch management and reboot workflows.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions against the affected and fixed ranges in vendor guidance.
- Confirm whether mwifiex support is built, installed, or loaded on relevant assets.
- Verify patched kernels include one of the referenced stable fix commits or vendor backports.
- Confirm post-update systems run the remediated kernel after reboot.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-191: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-53226 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f517c97fc129995de77dd06aa5a74f909ebf568fCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8824aa4ab62c800f75d96f48e1883a5f56ec5869CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29eca8b7863d1d7de6c5b746b374e3487d14f154CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fe3923d092e22d87d1ed03e2729db444b8c1331CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c54b6fc39eb1aac51cf2945f8a25e2a47fdca02CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3975e21d4d01efaf0296ded40d11c06589c49245CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7300e3800e9fd5405e88ce67709c1a97783b9c8CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/650d1bc02fba7b42f476d8b6643324abac5921edCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11958528161731c58e105b501ed60b83a91ea941CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound)
Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.