CVE-2026-80944
Received Received - Intake

Stack Corruption in Linux Kernel mwifiex WiFi Driver

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-80944, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-09-11

Last updated on: 2026-09-14

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mwifiex: Detach sync cmd buffer on interrupted wait mwifiex synchronous commands keep the caller-provided data buffer in cmd_node->data_buf. Several callers pass stack-allocated objects there. If wait_event_interruptible_timeout() is interrupted, the caller can return and release that stack object while the firmware command is still the current command. A late firmware response then reaches the normal response handler, which can copy data through cmd_node->data_buf into the stale stack address. This fixes a stack corruption observed during repeated association and disassociation cycles. The panic trace showed the command wait being interrupted immediately before a bad pointer dereference: cmd_wait_q terminated: -512 Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 002c583837384662 Kernel panic - not syncing: stack-protector: Kernel stack is corrupted ... Tainted: [M]=MACHINE_CHECK The fault address decodes as little-endian ASCII: 0x002c583837384662 -> "bF878X,\0" which is a fragment of the VERSION_EXT firmware string exposed as debugfs "verext": w8997o-V4, RF878X, FP92, 16.92.21.p153.7 The same runs also showed corrupted control data containing: 0x2400372e333531 -> "153.7\0$" which is the tail of the same VERSION_EXT string. This points at a late VERSION_EXT response writing through a stale stack-backed data_buf after the interrupted wait returned. After cancelling pending commands on an interrupted or timed-out wait, detach the caller-owned data buffer from the still-current command. This preserves the existing command cancellation behaviour while preventing a late response from writing through a pointer whose lifetime ended with the waiting caller. Tested on an i.MX8MP board using an 88W8997.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-11
Last Modified
2026-09-14
Generated
2026-10-02
AI Q&A
2026-09-12
EPSS Evaluated
2026-10-01
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux_kernel linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a stack corruption issue in the Linux kernel's mwifiex Wi-Fi driver. It occurs when synchronous commands use stack-allocated buffers for firmware communication. If the command wait is interrupted, the caller may release the buffer while the firmware is still processing. A late firmware response can then write data to the freed stack memory, causing corruption or kernel panic.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's mwifiex WiFi driver and may not have direct detection commands. Monitor kernel logs for stack corruption errors or panics related to mwifiex during WiFi operations. Check for repeated association/disassociation cycles causing crashes.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause system crashes (kernel panics) due to stack corruption. It may lead to data corruption or arbitrary code execution if exploited. Systems using affected Wi-Fi hardware (e.g., 88W8997 on i.MX8MP) are at risk during Wi-Fi operations like association and disassociation.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability is a kernel-level stack corruption issue in the Linux wifi subsystem. It does not directly relate to data privacy, access controls, or audit logging required by standards like GDPR or HIPAA. The impact is limited to system stability and potential denial of service via kernel panic.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to a patched version that includes the fix for CVE-2026-80944. If immediate patching is not possible, disable the mwifiex driver or avoid using WiFi until the update is applied to prevent potential stack corruption.

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