diff --git a/utils/ptt/src/wlan_ptt_sock_svc.c b/utils/ptt/src/wlan_ptt_sock_svc.c
index 39a7afaf4342..72d200620262 100644
--- a/utils/ptt/src/wlan_ptt_sock_svc.c
+++ b/utils/ptt/src/wlan_ptt_sock_svc.c
@@ -268,6 +268,10 @@ static void ptt_cmd_handler(const void *data, int data_len, void *ctx, int pid)
 	ptt_app_reg_req *payload;
 	struct nlattr *tb[CLD80211_ATTR_MAX + 1];
 
+	/*
+	 * audit note: it is ok to pass a NULL policy here since a
+	 * length check on the data is added later already
+	 */
 	if (nla_parse(tb, CLD80211_ATTR_MAX, data, data_len, NULL)) {
 		PTT_TRACE(QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_ERROR, "Invalid ATTR");
 		return;
@@ -278,6 +282,12 @@ static void ptt_cmd_handler(const void *data, int data_len, void *ctx, int pid)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (nla_len(tb[CLD80211_ATTR_DATA]) < sizeof(struct ptt_app_reg_req)) {
+		PTT_TRACE(QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_ERROR, "%s:attr length check fails\n",
+			__func__);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	payload = (ptt_app_reg_req *)(nla_data(tb[CLD80211_ATTR_DATA]));
 	switch (payload->wmsg.type) {
 	case ANI_MSG_APP_REG_REQ: