wifi: cfg80211: validate EHT MLE before MLD ID read
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: cfg80211: validate EHT MLE before MLD ID read cfg80211_gen_new_ie() copies ML probe response elements from the parent frame when the parent EHT multi-link element has an MLD ID matching the nontransmitted BSSID index. The code only checked that the extension element had more than one byte before calling ieee80211_mle_get_mld_id(). That helper assumes a BASIC MLE with enough common info and documents that callers must first use ieee80211_mle_type_ok(). Attack chain: malicious AP sends a short EHT MLE in an MBSSID beacon. cfg80211_inform_bss_frame_data() stores the copied IE buffer. cfg80211_parse_mbssid_data() builds the nontransmitted BSS IE. cfg80211_gen_new_ie() sees the EHT MLE in the parent frame. ieee80211_mle_get_mld_id() then reads past the IE boundary. Validate the MLE type and size before reading the MLD ID. This matches the contract required by the MLE helper and rejects the short element before any internal MLE fields are accessed.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-68472
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-chr6-4qp3-f3h9
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-20 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-31 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux vulnerabilities
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Sources
- CVE-2026-68472 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-68472 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-chr6-4qp3-f3h9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-68472 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences