CVE-2025-37794 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mac80211 wireless subsystem, specifically related to the handling of virtual interface (vif) transmit queues (txq) during interface stop operations. The issue arises in the ieee80211_do_stop() function, where the vif's txq is not properly purged before the vif.drv_priv pointer is cleared. This leads to a race condition where concurrent calls to ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue() can dequeue packets from the txq without verifying the current state of the wireless interface (sdata). Since vif.drv_priv is cleared, subsequent driver operations that rely on this pointer, such as ath12k_mac_op_tx() in the ath12k driver, may dereference a NULL pointer, causing a kernel crash (NULL pointer dereference). The vulnerability manifests as a kernel oops and memory abort due to invalid memory access, leading to denial of service (DoS) conditions on affected systems. The root cause is that packets can still be processed after the interface has been stopped, violating expected state assumptions. The fix involves emptying the vif's txq within ieee80211_do_stop() to ensure no packets remain to be dequeued after the interface stops, preventing the NULL dereference. This vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions including commit ba8c3d6f16a1f9305c23ac1d2fd3992508c5ac03 and likely related versions containing the vulnerable code. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date (May 1, 2025).

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk primarily to systems running Linux kernels with the affected mac80211 wireless stack, especially those using the ath12k wireless driver or similar drivers relying on vif.drv_priv pointers. The impact is a potential denial of service via kernel crashes triggered by race conditions in wireless packet transmission queues. This can disrupt wireless network connectivity, affecting critical infrastructure, enterprise networks, and wireless-enabled devices. The DoS could lead to operational downtime, loss of productivity, and potential cascading failures in network-dependent services. Since the vulnerability is in the kernel, it affects all applications relying on wireless networking, including embedded devices, servers, and user endpoints. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are limited as the vulnerability does not directly enable code execution or privilege escalation, but availability is severely impacted. The lack of requirement for user interaction or authentication to trigger the issue increases the threat level, especially in environments with exposed wireless interfaces or untrusted users. European organizations with extensive Linux deployments in wireless environments, such as telecommunications, manufacturing, and public sector, are at risk of service interruptions and must prioritize patching.

1. Immediate deployment of Linux kernel updates that include the patch for CVE-2025-37794 is critical. Organizations should track vendor advisories and apply kernel patches promptly. 2. For systems where immediate patching is not feasible, disable or restrict wireless interfaces using the affected drivers (e.g., ath12k) to prevent exploitation. 3. Implement kernel crash monitoring and alerting to detect early signs of exploitation attempts or instability related to wireless interfaces. 4. Use network segmentation to isolate critical systems from untrusted wireless networks, reducing exposure. 5. Employ strict access controls and network policies to limit the ability of unprivileged users or processes to interact with wireless interfaces. 6. For embedded or IoT devices running affected kernels, coordinate with vendors for firmware updates or consider device replacement if patches are unavailable. 7. Conduct thorough testing of wireless driver updates in staging environments to ensure stability before production deployment. 8. Maintain up-to-date inventory of Linux kernel versions and wireless drivers in use to prioritize remediation efforts effectively.