Double free in Linux kernel cfg80211 IE ownership
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
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel cfg80211 wireless subsystem from 5.4 copies information elements that a hidden-group probe-response entry borrows from its group's entry. This gives both entries ownership of the same memory, so releasing the group's entry leaves the associated entry pointing to freed data, and that memory is freed a second time when the associated entry is released.
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: 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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Upgrade the Linux kernel to fixed versions 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 has no fix planned, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 have no fix available.
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 →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98823
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-xw2r-79g3-4r47
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/Linux@5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@00f83d39675adc12d56957a1f5e316812157e4d3, Linux/Linux@3c44f780d1738e9ddf438729f5ff6ceb45f9ded3, 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/00f83d39675adc12d56957a1f5e316812157e4d3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c44f780d1738e9ddf438729f5ff6ceb45f9ded3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f79f429dc87a4f21e4fcf9a4d3df9484ca9a294
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98823 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98823 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xw2r-79g3-4r47 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98823 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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