All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-98823

Linux: wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership

Linux LinuxOperating systems
Open in ThreatlineRecord JSON
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.18%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 6% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9Also 49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08b, 5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60CVE List
Published18 Oct 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9LinuxCVE List
  • 49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08bLinuxCVE List
  • 5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60LinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership

A hidden-group probe-response entry borrows its beacon IEs from the group's beacon entry. cfg80211_update_assoc_bss_entry() can pass such an entry to cfg80211_update_known_bss() when merging scan entries after a channel switch.

Copying the borrowed beacon_ies into the associated entry gives the same allocation two owners. Releasing the group's beacon entry can then leave the associated entry pointing to freed IEs, which are freed again when that entry is released.

Skip beacon IE replacement when the source entry belongs to a hidden group. Preserve probe-response processing, the subsequent metadata updates, and the existing rejection path for conflicting hidden beacon updates.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 12

  • Linuxaffected: 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f before 5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f before 49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f before dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f before 5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f before cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.4CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 5.4CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.113 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.56 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.10 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5