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

wifi: mac80211: fortify the spinlock against deadlock by interrupt

In the function ieee80211_tx_dequeue() there is a particular locking
sequence:

begin:
spin_lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock);
q_stopped = local->queue_stop_reasons[q];
spin_unlock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock);

However small the chance (increased by ftracetest), an asynchronous
interrupt can occur in between of spin_lock() and spin_unlock(),
and the interrupt routine will attempt to lock the same
&local->queue_stop_reason_lock again.

This will cause a costly reset of the CPU and the wifi device or an
altogether hang in the single CPU and single core scenario.

The only remaining spin_lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock) that
did not disable interrupts was patched, which should prevent any
deadlocks on the same CPU/core and the same wifi device.

This is the probable trace of the deadlock:

kernel: ================================
kernel: WARNING: inconsistent lock state
kernel: 6.3.0-rc6-mt-20230401-00001-gf86822a1170f #4 Tainted: G W
kernel: --------------------------------
kernel: inconsistent {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} -> {SOFTIRQ-ON-W} usage.
kernel: kworker/5:0/25656 [HC0[0]:SC0[0]:HE1:SE1] takes:
kernel: ffff9d6190779478 (&local->queue_stop_reason_lock){+.?.}-{2:2}, at: return_to_handler+0x0/0x40
kernel: {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} state was registered at:
kernel: lock_acquire+0xc7/0x2d0
kernel: _raw_spin_lock+0x36/0x50
kernel: ieee80211_tx_dequeue+0xb4/0x1330 [mac80211]
kernel: iwl_mvm_mac_itxq_xmit+0xae/0x210 [iwlmvm]
kernel: iwl_mvm_mac_wake_tx_queue+0x2d/0xd0 [iwlmvm]
kernel: ieee80211_queue_skb+0x450/0x730 [mac80211]
kernel: __ieee80211_xmit_fast.constprop.66+0x834/0xa50 [mac80211]
kernel: __ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x217/0x530 [mac80211]
kernel: ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x60/0x580 [mac80211]
kernel: dev_hard_start_xmit+0xb5/0x260
kernel: __dev_queue_xmit+0xdbe/0x1200
kernel: neigh_resolve_output+0x166/0x260
kernel: ip_finish_output2+0x216/0xb80
kernel: __ip_finish_output+0x2a4/0x4d0
kernel: ip_finish_output+0x2d/0xd0
kernel: ip_output+0x82/0x2b0
kernel: ip_local_out+0xec/0x110
kernel: igmpv3_sendpack+0x5c/0x90
kernel: igmp_ifc_timer_expire+0x26e/0x4e0
kernel: call_timer_fn+0xa5/0x230
kernel: run_timer_softirq+0x27f/0x550
kernel: __do_softirq+0xb4/0x3a4
kernel: irq_exit_rcu+0x9b/0xc0
kernel: sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x80/0xa0
kernel: asm_sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x1f/0x30
kernel: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x3f/0x70
kernel: free_to_partial_list+0x3d6/0x590
kernel: __slab_free+0x1b7/0x310
kernel: kmem_cache_free+0x52d/0x550
kernel: putname+0x5d/0x70
kernel: do_sys_openat2+0x1d7/0x310
kernel: do_sys_open+0x51/0x80
kernel: __x64_sys_openat+0x24/0x30
kernel: do_syscall_64+0x5c/0x90
kernel: entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc
kernel: irq event stamp: 5120729
kernel: hardirqs last enabled at (5120729): [<ffffffff9d149936>] trace_graph_return+0xd6/0x120
kernel: hardirqs last disabled at (5120728): [<ffffffff9d149950>] trace_graph_return+0xf0/0x120
kernel: softirqs last enabled at (5069900): [<ffffffff9cf65b60>] return_to_handler+0x0/0x40
kernel: softirqs last disabled at (5067555): [<ffffffff9cf65b60>] return_to_handler+0x0/0x40
kernel:
other info that might help us debug this:
kernel: Possible unsafe locking scenario:
kernel: CPU0
kernel: ----
kernel: lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock);
kernel: <Interrupt>
kernel: lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock);
kernel:
*** DEADLOCK ***
kernel: 8 locks held by kworker/5:0/25656:
kernel: #0: ffff9d618009d138 ((wq_completion)events_freezable){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x1ca/0x530
kernel: #1: ffffb1ef4637fe68 ((work_completion)(&local->restart_work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x1ce/0x530
kernel: #2: ffffffff9f166548 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: return_to_handler+0x0/0x40
kernel: #3: ffff9d619
---truncated---

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00024.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
Linux Linux unaffected
Version Status Constraints
7b8fe53d2a1da48db02ae961b29b8ee2f5515861 affected < c79d794a2cd76eca47b2491c5030be9a6418c5d6
4444bc2116aecdcde87dce80373540adc8bd478b affected < 6df3eafa31b3ee4f0cba601ca857019964355034
4444bc2116aecdcde87dce80373540adc8bd478b affected < ef6e1997da63ad0ac3fe33153fec9524c9ae56c9
Linux Linux affected
Version Status Constraints
6.2 affected —
0 unaffected < 6.2
6.1.30 unaffected ≤ 6.1.*
6.3.4 unaffected ≤ 6.3.*
6.4 unaffected ≤ *

No data.

No data.

No data.

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6df3eafa31b3ee4f0cba601ca857019964355034 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c79d794a2cd76eca47b2491c5030be9a6418c5d6 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ef6e1997da63ad0ac3fe33153fec9524c9ae56c9 cve-icon cve-icon
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025123028-CVE-2023-54288-c7cf@gregkh/T cve-icon
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-54288 cve-icon
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-54288 cve-icon
History

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fortify the spinlock against deadlock by interrupt In the function ieee80211_tx_dequeue() there is a particular locking sequence: begin: spin_lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock); q_stopped = local->queue_stop_reasons[q]; spin_unlock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock); However small the chance (increased by ftracetest), an asynchronous interrupt can occur in between of spin_lock() and spin_unlock(), and the interrupt routine will attempt to lock the same &local->queue_stop_reason_lock again. This will cause a costly reset of the CPU and the wifi device or an altogether hang in the single CPU and single core scenario. The only remaining spin_lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock) that did not disable interrupts was patched, which should prevent any deadlocks on the same CPU/core and the same wifi device. This is the probable trace of the deadlock: kernel: ================================ kernel: WARNING: inconsistent lock state kernel: 6.3.0-rc6-mt-20230401-00001-gf86822a1170f #4 Tainted: G W kernel: -------------------------------- kernel: inconsistent {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} -> {SOFTIRQ-ON-W} usage. kernel: kworker/5:0/25656 [HC0[0]:SC0[0]:HE1:SE1] takes: kernel: ffff9d6190779478 (&local->queue_stop_reason_lock){+.?.}-{2:2}, at: return_to_handler+0x0/0x40 kernel: {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} state was registered at: kernel: lock_acquire+0xc7/0x2d0 kernel: _raw_spin_lock+0x36/0x50 kernel: ieee80211_tx_dequeue+0xb4/0x1330 [mac80211] kernel: iwl_mvm_mac_itxq_xmit+0xae/0x210 [iwlmvm] kernel: iwl_mvm_mac_wake_tx_queue+0x2d/0xd0 [iwlmvm] kernel: ieee80211_queue_skb+0x450/0x730 [mac80211] kernel: __ieee80211_xmit_fast.constprop.66+0x834/0xa50 [mac80211] kernel: __ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x217/0x530 [mac80211] kernel: ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x60/0x580 [mac80211] kernel: dev_hard_start_xmit+0xb5/0x260 kernel: __dev_queue_xmit+0xdbe/0x1200 kernel: neigh_resolve_output+0x166/0x260 kernel: ip_finish_output2+0x216/0xb80 kernel: __ip_finish_output+0x2a4/0x4d0 kernel: ip_finish_output+0x2d/0xd0 kernel: ip_output+0x82/0x2b0 kernel: ip_local_out+0xec/0x110 kernel: igmpv3_sendpack+0x5c/0x90 kernel: igmp_ifc_timer_expire+0x26e/0x4e0 kernel: call_timer_fn+0xa5/0x230 kernel: run_timer_softirq+0x27f/0x550 kernel: __do_softirq+0xb4/0x3a4 kernel: irq_exit_rcu+0x9b/0xc0 kernel: sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x80/0xa0 kernel: asm_sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x1f/0x30 kernel: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x3f/0x70 kernel: free_to_partial_list+0x3d6/0x590 kernel: __slab_free+0x1b7/0x310 kernel: kmem_cache_free+0x52d/0x550 kernel: putname+0x5d/0x70 kernel: do_sys_openat2+0x1d7/0x310 kernel: do_sys_open+0x51/0x80 kernel: __x64_sys_openat+0x24/0x30 kernel: do_syscall_64+0x5c/0x90 kernel: entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc kernel: irq event stamp: 5120729 kernel: hardirqs last enabled at (5120729): [<ffffffff9d149936>] trace_graph_return+0xd6/0x120 kernel: hardirqs last disabled at (5120728): [<ffffffff9d149950>] trace_graph_return+0xf0/0x120 kernel: softirqs last enabled at (5069900): [<ffffffff9cf65b60>] return_to_handler+0x0/0x40 kernel: softirqs last disabled at (5067555): [<ffffffff9cf65b60>] return_to_handler+0x0/0x40 kernel: other info that might help us debug this: kernel: Possible unsafe locking scenario: kernel: CPU0 kernel: ---- kernel: lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock); kernel: <Interrupt> kernel: lock(&local->queue_stop_reason_lock); kernel: *** DEADLOCK *** kernel: 8 locks held by kworker/5:0/25656: kernel: #0: ffff9d618009d138 ((wq_completion)events_freezable){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x1ca/0x530 kernel: #1: ffffb1ef4637fe68 ((work_completion)(&local->restart_work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x1ce/0x530 kernel: #2: ffffffff9f166548 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: return_to_handler+0x0/0x40 kernel: #3: ffff9d619 ---truncated---
Title wifi: mac80211: fortify the spinlock against deadlock by interrupt
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2025-12-30T12:23:27.765Z

Reserved: 2025-12-30T12:06:44.526Z

Link: CVE-2023-54288

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2025-12-30T13:16:17.833

Modified: 2025-12-31T20:42:43.210

Link: CVE-2023-54288

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Low

Publid Date: 2025-12-30T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2023-54288 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.