Mesh path limit overrun in Linux kernel mac80211 proxy paths
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The Linux kernel mac80211 wireless stack is affected in versions from 3.2 before the fixed releases named in the solution. Proxy path additions and removals do not reserve or release the shared mesh path counter correctly, so the counter can go negative and the MESH_MAX_MPATHS limit of 1024 entries can be exceeded. Proxy-path churn is enough to trigger the counter error.
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: mac80211: account proxy paths against the mesh path limit Proxy-path churn can drive the interface path counter negative and let later mesh path additions exceed MESH_MAX_MPATHS. mesh_path_free_rcu() decrements the interface mpaths counter for entries from both the mesh and proxy path tables, but mpp_path_add() never reserves a slot in that counter. Removing or expiring a proxy path therefore returns a slot that was never charged. mesh_path_add() uses the same counter to enforce MESH_MAX_MPATHS, so once it falls below the number of installed paths the limit no longer holds. Reserve the shared quota before allocating a proxy path and release it on every unsuccessful addition. Mesh and proxy paths now share one 1024-entry budget, so mpp_path_add() can return -ENOSPC at that limit.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update to Linux kernel 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 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
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98705
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-r63c-mg4x-3hrx
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@c66ab4b94bb04c162485759196555e08c0965320 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0e79c9d260862bd4676955d3cac7baa0d38a5b2e, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e79c9d260862bd4676955d3cac7baa0d38a5b2e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bfd447ee32f727e535e317aa5a8447488f943803
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f83dab0045f756a82a15ac751165aefa03bed11
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c66ab4b94bb04c162485759196555e08c0965320
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/df072db65fdaa34ad15e1d66fc06a53e3e97f778
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b75831ceee76d32bb8e7ddd241904f92f9b5407
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5a32409ed34a1868830899a5d2437f0b3bf3532c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a5f35d4b112af1415ff06bd501c8cc26cc08aa8b
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98705 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98705 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r63c-mg4x-3hrx · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98705 · 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