CVE-2023-7042 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's ath10k wireless driver, specifically within the function ath10k_wmi_tlv_op_pull_mgmt_tx_compl_ev() located in drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/wmi-tlv.c. The issue is a null pointer dereference, which occurs when the function attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL. This leads to a kernel crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, a widely used enterprise-grade Linux distribution, particularly in environments where the ath10k wireless driver is in use. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.4 (medium), with attack vector Local (AV:L), attack complexity Low (AC:L), privileges required High (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impact limited to availability (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. Exploitation requires an attacker to have high-level privileges on the system, such as root or equivalent, and to execute code locally. There are no known public exploits or active exploitation campaigns reported at this time. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, but the prerequisite of high privileges limits the attack surface. The lack of linked patches suggests that remediation may require updates from Red Hat or manual kernel upgrades. This vulnerability primarily threatens system availability by causing kernel panics or crashes, potentially disrupting services dependent on wireless connectivity.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-7042 is a denial of service condition that can disrupt critical systems relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 with ath10k wireless drivers. This can affect sectors such as telecommunications, manufacturing, government, and finance where wireless networking is integral to operations. The requirement for high privileges to exploit the vulnerability reduces the risk of remote attacks but raises concerns about insider threats or compromised administrative accounts. Systems experiencing kernel crashes may suffer from downtime, loss of productivity, and potential cascading failures in network-dependent applications. In environments with strict availability requirements, such as healthcare or emergency services, this vulnerability could have significant operational consequences. Additionally, organizations still running the legacy RHEL 6 platform may face challenges in patch management and vendor support, increasing exposure duration. The absence of confidentiality or integrity impact limits data breach risks, but availability disruptions alone can have severe business impacts. European entities with extensive use of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 in wireless-enabled infrastructure should prioritize assessment and mitigation to maintain service continuity.

Organizations should monitor Red Hat advisories closely for official patches addressing CVE-2023-7042 and apply them promptly once available. Until patches are released, restrict access to systems running RHEL 6 with ath10k drivers to trusted administrators only, minimizing the risk of privilege abuse. Disable or unload the ath10k wireless driver if wireless functionality is not essential, thereby eliminating the attack vector. Implement strict access controls and auditing to detect unauthorized privilege escalations or suspicious local activity. Regularly review kernel logs for signs of null pointer dereference crashes or instability related to wireless operations. Consider upgrading affected systems to newer, supported Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions that include updated kernel drivers with resolved vulnerabilities. Employ network segmentation to isolate critical wireless infrastructure and reduce the impact of potential DoS events. Finally, develop and test incident response plans to quickly recover from kernel crashes and maintain operational continuity.