CVE-2026-74368

Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel ath12k WiFi Driver

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-17

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: fix memory leak in ath12k_wifi7_dp_rx_h_verify_tkip_mic() In ath12k_wifi7_dp_rx_h_verify_tkip_mic(), the call to ath12k_dp_rx_check_nwifi_hdr_len_valid() may return false when the NWIFI header length is invalid, causing the function to abort early with -EINVAL. When this happens, the error propagates to ath12k_wifi7_dp_rx_h_defrag(), which clears first_frag by setting it to NULL. As a result, the corresponding MSDU is no longer referenced by the defragmentation path and is never freed. This leads to a memory leak for the affected MSDU on this error path. Proper cleanup is required to ensure the MSDU is released when header validation fails during TKIP MIC verification. Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.1.c5-00302-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-1.115823.3

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-08-15

Last Modified

2026-08-17

Generated

2026-09-04

AI Q&A

2026-08-15

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-03

NVD

CVE-2026-74368

EUVD

EUVD-2026-59515

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
qualcomm	ath12k	From 1.115823.3 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ath12k Wi-Fi driver. When processing TKIP MIC verification, an invalid NWIFI header length causes early termination. This leaves the MSDU (MAC Service Data Unit) unreferenced and unfreed, resulting in a memory leak.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's ath12k WiFi driver and involves a memory leak during TKIP MIC verification. Detection would require kernel-level monitoring for memory leaks in the ath12k module, such as checking for unaccounted memory usage in wireless network interfaces using tools like 'top', 'htop', or 'smem'.

Impact Analysis

The memory leak could gradually consume system memory, potentially leading to degraded performance or system instability over time. It specifically affects systems using Qualcomm's ath12k Wi-Fi chipset.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability causes a memory leak in the Linux kernel's ath12k WiFi driver, which could lead to resource exhaustion. While not directly related to data privacy, such system instability may indirectly impact compliance by degrading security controls or service availability required by standards like GDPR or HIPAA.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel update that includes the fix for this vulnerability. If an update is not available, consider disabling the affected ath12k WiFi driver or switching to a wired network connection until a patch is applied.

Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-74368. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.

0/70