Linux Kernel ath11k Race Condition Vulnerability Leading to Kernel Panic

A race condition vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's ath11k wireless driver. This issue arises when the device is registered before the necessary resources are allocated, creating a timing conflict. As a result, an open operation can trigger a kernel panic by causing a bug check in the timer management code. This vulnerability was not present in the kernel version next-20220310 but emerged in next-20220511, suggesting a change in timing that introduced the issue.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability causes a kernel panic, leading to a crash of the affected system.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by probing the ath11k driver version next-20220511. During the probe, the device is registered before the required resources are fully allocated, which creates a race condition. This timing issue can be observed by the resulting kernel panic, which is a response to the triggered bug check in the timer management system.