Linux Kernel iwlwifi Driver Workqueue Allocation Check Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's iwlwifi wireless driver has been addressed by adding a missing check for the return value of the 'alloc_ordered_workqueue' function. This function can return a NULL pointer, which could lead to a null pointer dereference. The vulnerability was present in several versions of the Linux kernel.

Impact

The vulnerability could lead to a null pointer dereference, causing a denial of service by crashing the system or kernel module.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by using the iwlwifi wireless driver in the Linux kernel. The issue arises when the driver allocates a workqueue using the 'alloc_ordered_workqueue' function without checking if the allocation was successful. If the allocation fails, the driver can attempt to use a NULL pointer, leading to a crash.

Remediation

Users can upgrade to the latest version of the Linux kernel where this vulnerability has been fixed. Instructions for upgrading the kernel can be found in the official Linux kernel documentation.