CVE-2025-23129 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically related to the ath11k wireless driver, which handles certain Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi chipsets. The issue arises in the handling of IRQ (Interrupt Request) affinity hints when freeing IRQs in error paths. In systems where the driver uses a shared IRQ due to platform limitations, the IRQ affinity hint is set immediately after IRQ vector allocation in the function ath11k_pci_alloc_msi(). However, if a subsequent function that requests the IRQ fails and attempts to free the IRQ, the affinity hint is not cleared before calling ath11k_pcic_free_irq(). This leads to a kernel warning indicating improper IRQ management, as seen in the kernel logs with a call trace involving free_irq and ath11k functions. The root cause is the failure to clear the affinity hint before freeing the IRQ, which can cause instability or unpredictable behavior in IRQ handling. The fix involves explicitly clearing the IRQ affinity hint before calling ath11k_pcic_free_irq() in the error path, ensuring proper cleanup. This vulnerability was tested on hardware QCA6390 hw2.0 PCI WLAN and is relevant to Linux kernel versions containing the affected commits. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the issue could cause kernel warnings and potentially impact system stability or reliability in affected environments. The vulnerability does not directly expose a remote code execution or privilege escalation vector but relates to kernel IRQ management robustness in wireless drivers.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-23129 primarily concerns system stability and reliability of Linux-based systems using affected Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi chipsets with the ath11k driver. This includes servers, embedded devices, and workstations running Linux kernels with the vulnerable driver version. While the vulnerability does not directly lead to data breaches or remote compromise, the kernel warnings and improper IRQ handling could cause system crashes or degraded wireless performance, potentially disrupting business operations, especially in environments relying on stable wireless connectivity. Organizations with critical infrastructure or industrial control systems using Linux with these Wi-Fi components might experience operational interruptions. Additionally, the presence of kernel warnings can complicate system diagnostics and maintenance. Given the widespread use of Linux in European enterprises, telecom, and public sector, ensuring kernel stability is essential to maintain service availability and prevent downtime.

To mitigate CVE-2025-23129, European organizations should: 1) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that clear the IRQ affinity hint before freeing IRQs in the ath11k driver error paths. This requires updating to a kernel version that includes the fix or backporting the patch if using long-term support kernels. 2) Conduct thorough testing of wireless functionality post-patch to ensure no regressions in IRQ handling or wireless performance. 3) Monitor kernel logs for IRQ-related warnings to detect any residual issues or similar IRQ management problems. 4) For critical systems, consider isolating or limiting the use of affected Wi-Fi hardware until patched to avoid stability risks. 5) Maintain an inventory of devices using Qualcomm Atheros chipsets with the ath11k driver to prioritize patch deployment. 6) Collaborate with hardware vendors and Linux distribution maintainers to receive timely updates and security advisories. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on patch management, monitoring, and hardware inventory specific to this vulnerability.