CVE-2026-98182
Received Received - Intake

BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-10-06

Last updated on: 2026-10-06

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: refuse to make a monitor active when it has no queue A monitor interface only gets a TXQ if it's created active, and one can't be added later. Setting the flag on a down interface is still allowed, so the driver is handed a monitor with no queue. ath9k dereferences it: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000066 RIP: 0010:ath_tx_node_init+0x49/0x170 [ath9k] ath9k_add_interface+0x10c/0x140 [ath9k] drv_add_interface+0x54/0x250 [mac80211] ieee80211_do_open+0x32f/0x800 [mac80211] Reached with CAP_NET_ADMIN by "iw dev X set monitor active" followed by "ip link set X up". RTNL is held, so netlink operations block behind it. Refuse the flag when there is no queue to give.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-06
Last Modified
2026-10-06
Generated
2026-10-19
AI Q&A
2026-10-06
EPSS Evaluated
2026-10-18
NVD
CVE-2026-98182
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93110

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 79af1f866193de29e65a4dba7d0dab14b0c0ff93
Linux Linux 79af1f866193de29e65a4dba7d0dab14b0c0ff93
Linux Linux 79af1f866193de29e65a4dba7d0dab14b0c0ff93
Linux Linux 79af1f866193de29e65a4dba7d0dab14b0c0ff93
Linux Linux 4.15

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a NULL pointer dereference in the ath9k driver when a monitor interface is set to active without a TX queue. The issue occurs when a monitor interface is created without a queue and later activated, causing the driver to crash with a kernel NULL pointer dereference.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by checking for kernel NULL pointer dereference errors related to ath9k or mac80211 modules. Monitor interfaces without TXQ queues may trigger the issue. Check kernel logs for BUG messages like 'kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000066' and RIP pointing to ath_tx_node_init or ath9k_add_interface.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause system crashes or instability when a user with CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges sets a monitor interface to active without a queue and then brings the interface up. It may lead to denial-of-service conditions on affected systems.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards as it is a kernel-level issue in the Linux wireless subsystem. It involves a NULL pointer dereference in the ath9k driver when a monitor interface is set active without a TXQ, which could lead to system crashes but does not inherently impact data protection or privacy requirements.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that fix this issue. Avoid creating monitor interfaces with the 'active' flag set when no TXQ queue is available. Restrict CAP_NET_ADMIN capabilities to prevent unauthorized interface modifications.

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