CVE-2024-53191 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically affecting the ath12k wireless driver, which supports certain Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi chipsets. The issue arises during the device unbinding process in the PCI subsystem, where buffers related to the transmit ring (dp->tx_ring[i].tx_status) are freed twice. Initially, if an error occurs during firmware initialization, these buffers are released. However, when the device is subsequently unbound (ath12k_pci_remove), the same buffers are freed again without being set to NULL after the first release. This double-free condition triggers a kernel warning and can lead to undefined behavior including potential kernel crashes or memory corruption. The vulnerability is reliably reproducible in virtual machine environments due to failure in MSI (Message Signaled Interrupts) addressing initialization. The fix involves setting the buffer pointers to NULL immediately after freeing them to prevent the double-free. This vulnerability is a memory management flaw in a critical kernel driver component that handles Wi-Fi hardware, which could be exploited to destabilize the kernel or potentially escalate privileges if combined with other vulnerabilities. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-53191 depends largely on their deployment of Linux systems using the affected ath12k wireless drivers. Many enterprises and public sector entities in Europe rely on Linux-based servers, desktops, and embedded systems, including those with wireless connectivity. A double-free vulnerability in a kernel driver can lead to system instability, crashes, or denial of service, impacting availability of critical services. While direct remote exploitation is unlikely without local access, attackers with local privileges or malicious insiders could exploit this flaw to cause kernel panics or potentially execute arbitrary code in kernel context, threatening confidentiality and integrity. This is particularly concerning for organizations in sectors with high reliance on Linux-based infrastructure such as telecommunications, finance, and government. Additionally, virtualized environments common in European data centers may be more susceptible to triggering this issue due to the MSI initialization failure reproducibility in VMs. Although no active exploits are known, the vulnerability represents a risk that could be leveraged in multi-stage attacks or combined with other vulnerabilities to escalate privileges or disrupt operations.

European organizations should prioritize applying the official Linux kernel patches that address this double-free vulnerability in the ath12k driver as soon as they become available. Until patched, system administrators should consider the following specific mitigations: 1) Disable or avoid using the affected ath12k wireless hardware on critical systems where possible, especially in virtualized environments. 2) Restrict local user access and enforce strict privilege separation to reduce the risk of exploitation by untrusted users. 3) Monitor kernel logs for warnings related to free_large_kmalloc or ath12k driver errors as early indicators of attempted exploitation or instability. 4) In virtualized environments, ensure hypervisor and guest OS configurations are hardened to prevent MSI initialization failures that trigger the vulnerability. 5) Employ kernel hardening features such as Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and Kernel Page Table Isolation (KPTI) to mitigate exploitation impact. 6) Maintain up-to-date intrusion detection and endpoint protection systems capable of detecting anomalous kernel behavior. These targeted measures, combined with timely patching, will reduce the risk and impact of this vulnerability in European Linux deployments.