linux-kernel - [PATCH v3] wifi: ath11k: fix memory leaks in beacon template setup

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Message-Id: <20260130084451.110768-1-zilin@seu.edu.cn>
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:44:51 +0000
From: Zilin Guan <zilin@....edu.cn>
To: jeff.johnson@....qualcomm.com
Cc: ath11k@...ts.infradead.org,
	baochen.qiang@....qualcomm.com,
	jianhao.xu@....edu.cn,
	jjohnson@...nel.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org,
	Zilin Guan <zilin@....edu.cn>
Subject: [PATCH v3] wifi: ath11k: fix memory leaks in beacon template setup

The functions ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_ema() and
ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_mbssid() allocate memory for beacon templates
but fail to free it when parameter setup returns an error.

Since beacon templates must be released during normal execution, they
must also be released in the error handling paths to prevent memory
leaks.

Fix this by using unified exit paths with proper cleanup in the respective
error paths.

Compile tested only. Issue found using a prototype static analysis tool
and code review.

Fixes: 3a415daa3e8b ("wifi: ath11k: add P2P IE in beacon template")
Fixes: 335a92765d30 ("wifi: ath11k: MBSSID beacon support")
Suggested-by: Baochen Qiang <baochen.qiang@....qualcomm.com>
Signed-off-by: Zilin Guan <zilin@....edu.cn>
---
Changes in v3:
- Add goto path for the beacons->cnt check for strict logical consistency.

Changes in v2:
- Use unified exit paths for cleanup.

 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c | 28 ++++++++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
index 4dfd08b58416..e872f416ea97 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
@@ -1557,12 +1557,15 @@ static int ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_ema(struct ath11k_vif *arvif,
 	if (!beacons || !beacons->cnt) {
 		ath11k_warn(arvif->ar->ab,
 			    "failed to get ema beacon templates from mac80211\n");
-		return -EPERM;
+		ret = -EPERM;
+		goto free;
 	}
 
 	if (tx_arvif == arvif) {
-		if (ath11k_mac_set_vif_params(tx_arvif, beacons->bcn[0].skb))
-			return -EINVAL;
+		if (ath11k_mac_set_vif_params(tx_arvif, beacons->bcn[0].skb)) {
+			ret = -EINVAL;
+			goto free;
+		}
 	} else {
 		arvif->wpaie_present = tx_arvif->wpaie_present;
 	}
@@ -1589,11 +1592,11 @@ static int ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_ema(struct ath11k_vif *arvif,
 		}
 	}
 
-	ieee80211_beacon_free_ema_list(beacons);
-
 	if (tx_arvif != arvif && !nontx_vif_params_set)
-		return -EINVAL; /* Profile not found in the beacons */
+		ret = -EINVAL; /* Profile not found in the beacons */
 
+free:
+	ieee80211_beacon_free_ema_list(beacons);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1622,19 +1625,22 @@ static int ath11k_mac_setup_bcn_tmpl_mbssid(struct ath11k_vif *arvif,
 	}
 
 	if (tx_arvif == arvif) {
-		if (ath11k_mac_set_vif_params(tx_arvif, bcn))
-			return -EINVAL;
+		if (ath11k_mac_set_vif_params(tx_arvif, bcn)) {
+			ret = -EINVAL;
+			goto free;
+		}
 	} else if (!ath11k_mac_set_nontx_vif_params(tx_arvif, arvif, bcn)) {
-		return -EINVAL;
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto free;
 	}
 
 	ret = ath11k_wmi_bcn_tmpl(ar, arvif->vdev_id, &offs, bcn, 0);
-	kfree_skb(bcn);
-
 	if (ret)
 		ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to submit beacon template command: %d\n",
 			    ret);
 
+free:
+	kfree_skb(bcn);
 	return ret;
 }
 
-- 
2.34.1