CVE-2025-38644
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-08-22

Last updated on: 2025-11-03

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: reject TDLS operations when station is not associated syzbot triggered a WARN in ieee80211_tdls_oper() by sending NL80211_TDLS_ENABLE_LINK immediately after NL80211_CMD_CONNECT, before association completed and without prior TDLS setup. This left internal state like sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer uninitialized, leading to a WARN_ON() in code paths that assumed it was valid. Reject the operation early if not in station mode or not associated.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-08-22
Last Modified
2025-11-03
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2025-08-22
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-14
NVD
CVE-2025-38644
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.1.153
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Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel's wifi mac80211 component occurs when TDLS (Tunneled Direct Link Setup) operations are attempted before the station is fully associated with a network. Specifically, sending NL80211_TDLS_ENABLE_LINK immediately after NL80211_CMD_CONNECT, before association completes and without prior TDLS setup, leaves internal state uninitialized. This causes warnings and potential instability because the code assumes certain data is valid when it is not. The fix rejects such TDLS operations early if the station is not in the correct mode or not associated.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause warnings and potential instability in the Linux kernel's wifi subsystem due to uninitialized internal state when TDLS operations are improperly triggered. This may lead to unexpected behavior or crashes in wifi connectivity or related services on affected systems.

Mitigation Strategies

The vulnerability is resolved by rejecting TDLS operations when the station is not associated. To mitigate this vulnerability, ensure your Linux kernel is updated to a version that includes this fix. Avoid sending NL80211_TDLS_ENABLE_LINK commands immediately after NL80211_CMD_CONNECT before association is complete and without prior TDLS setup.

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