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CVE Record

CVE-2023-53589: wifi: iwlwifi: mvm: don't trust firmware n_channels

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: iwlwifi: mvm: don't trust firmware n_channels If the firmware sends us a corrupted MCC response with n_channels much larger than the command response can be, we might copy far too much (uninitialized) memory and even crash if the n_channels is large enough to make it run out of the one page allocated for the FW response. Fix that by checking the lengths. Doing a < comparison would be sufficient, but the firmware should be doing it correctly, so check more strictly.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel Wi-Fi driver flaw in iwlwifi MVM. A corrupted firmware channel-count response can cause the kernel to copy too much memory and possibly crash. The public record does not provide a CVSS score or evidence of active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a patch-management item for Linux Wi-Fi fleets, not as an emergency based on current evidence. Prioritize mobile endpoints and devices where Wi-Fi availability matters, while monitoring vendor guidance for severity updates.

Technical view

The fix stops trusting firmware-provided n_channels in an MCC response and validates response lengths before copying channel data. The described failure mode is excessive copying of uninitialized memory and possible crash when the value exceeds the allocated firmware response page.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems using the iwlwifi MVM Wi-Fi driver path, typically Intel Wi-Fi devices, on affected kernel versions. Systems without that driver or hardware path are less likely to be exposed. Distribution backports may change exact package status.

Exploitation context

The bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited active-exploitation evidence. The described trigger is a corrupted firmware MCC response, but the public sources here do not establish a practical attacker path.

Researcher notes

Key uncertainty is exploitability outside malformed or faulty firmware behavior. The record lacks CVSS, CWE, and attacker prerequisites. Researchers should validate affected kernel branches against vendor backports and review the stable commits for exact bounds-checking changes.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux vendor or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize endpoints and embedded devices using Intel Wi-Fi with iwlwifi MVM.
  • Check vendor advisories for backported fixes before relying on upstream version numbers.
  • Where patching is delayed, reduce reliance on affected Wi-Fi devices if operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across Wi-Fi-capable systems.
  • Identify systems loading or packaging the iwlwifi MVM driver.
  • Compare deployed kernels with vendor fixed packages or referenced stable commits.
  • Confirm no affected unmanaged endpoints remain outside normal patch reporting.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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

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CVE-2023-53589 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
7Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxdcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63, dcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63, dcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63, dcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63, dcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63, dcaf9f5ecb6f395152609bdc40660d9b593dca63unaffected
LinuxLinux4.1, 0, 5.4.244, 5.10.181, 5.15.113, 6.1.30, 6.3.4, 6.4affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.