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CVE-2025-22119: wifi: cfg80211: init wiphy_work before allocating rfkill fails

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: cfg80211: init wiphy_work before allocating rfkill fails syzbort reported a uninitialize wiphy_work_lock in cfg80211_dev_free. [1] After rfkill allocation fails, the wiphy release process will be performed, which will cause cfg80211_dev_free to access the uninitialized wiphy_work related data. Move the initialization of wiphy_work to before rfkill initialization to avoid this issue. [1] INFO: trying to register non-static key. The code is fine but needs lockdep annotation, or maybe you didn't initialize this object before use? turning off the locking correctness validator. CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 5935 Comm: syz-executor550 Not tainted 6.14.0-rc6-syzkaller-00103-g4003c9e78778 #0 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.3-debian-1.16.3-2~bpo12+1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x116/0x1f0 lib/dump_stack.c:120 assign_lock_key kernel/locking/lockdep.c:983 [inline] register_lock_class+0xc39/0x1240 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:1297 __lock_acquire+0x135/0x3c40 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5103 lock_acquire.part.0+0x11b/0x380 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5851 __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x3a/0x60 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:162 cfg80211_dev_free+0x30/0x3d0 net/wireless/core.c:1196 device_release+0xa1/0x240 drivers/base/core.c:2568 kobject_cleanup lib/kobject.c:689 [inline] kobject_release lib/kobject.c:720 [inline] kref_put include/linux/kref.h:65 [inline] kobject_put+0x1e4/0x5a0 lib/kobject.c:737 put_device+0x1f/0x30 drivers/base/core.c:3774 wiphy_free net/wireless/core.c:1224 [inline] wiphy_new_nm+0x1c1f/0x2160 net/wireless/core.c:562 ieee80211_alloc_hw_nm+0x1b7a/0x2260 net/mac80211/main.c:835 mac80211_hwsim_new_radio+0x1d6/0x54e0 drivers/net/wireless/virtual/mac80211_hwsim.c:5185 hwsim_new_radio_nl+0xb42/0x12b0 drivers/net/wireless/virtual/mac80211_hwsim.c:6242 genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x202/0x2f0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1115 genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1195 [inline] genl_rcv_msg+0x565/0x800 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1210 netlink_rcv_skb+0x16b/0x440 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2533 genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1219 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1312 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x53c/0x7f0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1338 netlink_sendmsg+0x8b8/0xd70 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1882 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:718 [inline] __sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:733 [inline] ____sys_sendmsg+0xaaf/0xc90 net/socket.c:2573 ___sys_sendmsg+0x135/0x1e0 net/socket.c:2627 __sys_sendmsg+0x16e/0x220 net/socket.c:2659 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xcd/0x250 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 Close: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=aaf0488c83d1d5f4f029

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 subsystem bug found by syzkaller. Under a failure path during rfkill allocation, cleanup can touch uninitialized wiphy work data. The public sources do not show active exploitation, impact severity, or a practical attack path.

Executive priority

Treat as a patch-management item unless vendor guidance raises severity. There is no sourced evidence of active exploitation, but kernel cleanup bugs still merit timely updates on affected Linux fleets.

Technical view

CVE-2025-22119 affects Linux cfg80211 initialization order. If rfkill allocation fails, wiphy release can call cfg80211_dev_free and access uninitialized wiphy_work-related state. The kernel fix moves wiphy_work initialization before rfkill initialization.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to systems running affected Linux kernels with cfg80211/mac80211 Wi-Fi code paths. The provided version data is not sufficient to map every downstream distribution build confidently.

Exploitation context

The issue was reported by syzbot in a QEMU syzkaller environment. The source bundle says KEV is false and provides no evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization.

Researcher notes

The evidence points to an initialization-order flaw in a cleanup path after rfkill allocation failure. Public data lacks CVSS, CWE, exploitability analysis, and exact downstream affected-package mapping.

Mitigation direction

  • Update Linux kernels using vendor or distribution guidance.
  • Prioritize hosts with Wi-Fi, virtual Wi-Fi, or mac80211_hwsim exposure.
  • Review Debian LTS guidance if using Debian-supported kernels.
  • Track the referenced kernel stable commits for fixed builds.
  • Avoid inventing compensating controls without vendor confirmation.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions across Linux hosts.
  • Check whether cfg80211/mac80211 Wi-Fi support is present.
  • Compare installed kernels with vendor advisory fixed versions.
  • Confirm patched builds include the referenced stable commits.
  • Monitor vendor advisories for severity or impact updates.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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

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CVE-2025-22119 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
1ADP providers
8Source 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.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux8930a3e1568cf534f86c8ed2def817c6d0528fc1, 0272d4af7f92997541d8bbf4c51918b93ded6ee2, 75d262ad3c36d52852d764588fcd887f0fcd9138, a5158d67bff06cb6fea31be39aeb319fd908ed8e, 72d520476a2fab6f3489e8388ab524985d6c4b90, 72d520476a2fab6f3489e8388ab524985d6c4b90, dea22de162058216a90f2706f0d0b36f0ff309fd, 6.1.132, 6.6.84, 6.12.20, 6.13.8unaffected
LinuxLinux6.14, 0, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.14.2, 6.15affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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