Linux kernel libipw reads past buffer on short association responses
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Linux kernel versions from 2.6.15 before the fixed releases are affected. The libipw association response handler computes an information element length from frames shorter than their fixed fields, so the parser reads past the receive buffer. An adjacent attacker without privileges or user interaction can send a crafted short frame, with high availability impact and low confidentiality impact.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: libipw: reject too-short association responses libipw_handle_assoc_resp() reads the capability, status and aid fields of the 30-byte association response prefix and then computes the information element length as stats->len - sizeof(*frame) stats->len is a u16 and sizeof() has type size_t, so the subtraction is evaluated as size_t and wraps instead of going negative. Truncating that to the u16 length parameter of libipw_parse_info_param() turns a frame shorter than the fixed fields into a length near 64 KiB, and the parser then reads past the receive buffer. Both the ipw2100 and ipw2200 management receive paths reach this function having established only that the frame carries the generic 24-byte three-address header. Reject the frame before any fixed field is touched. Found by an AI-assisted review of length arithmetic in management frame parsers. Verified with a KUnit case under Generic KASAN on arm64 under QEMU; I do not have the hardware, so it is not tested on a real device.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.15 and later | 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.15 and later Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
The Linux kernel is fixed in stable versions 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 and 7.3.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 7 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98348
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-jch8-34rh-p8cm
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-11 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-11 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/766268b429ae26d8ca599031fa962b0fe4673120
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d70bdb84cf1782039384c1ffa7a18b0303c286a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/400b89217058fac672134a0d4092c8493dadb8ad
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/46aa75291056b6dc5faaf956dffdb3e9662477b0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3025ecdb2057f866c09e059fc1466e81d6f243e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14cb425ba1f3a5d849e3bbc3d02d84e0ae195dbb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af1b69be19c34e28c0ae54bee954b58cd076969a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/adb7118b7d2cfd7e8213c17d7d2829f353017754
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98348 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98348 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jch8-34rh-p8cm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98348 · 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