CVE-2026-97432
Received Received - Intake

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel iwlwifi mvm P2P-Device binding

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-97432, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-09-25

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: iwlwifi: mvm: fix P2P-Device binding handling Our binding handling for P2P-Device can run into the following scenario, as observed by our testing: - a station interface is connected on some channel - the P2P-Device does a remain-on-channel (ROC) on that channel - the ROC ends, and the P2P-Device is removed from the binding, but the phy_ctxt pointer is left around as a PHY cache so we don't need to recalibrate to the channel again and again in case it's not shared - a binding update by the station interface, even a removal, will re-add the P2P-Device to the binding - the P2P-Device is removed, which removes the PHY context, but it's still in the binding so the firmware crashes Since the P2P device is removed from the binding and only re- added by unrelated code, but we want to keep the phy_ctxt around as a cache for future ROC usage, fix it by adding a boolean that indicates whether or not the P2P-Device should be added to the binding, and handle that in the binding iterator. That way, the station interface cannot re-add the P2P-Device to the binding when that isn't active.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-24
Last Modified
2026-09-25
Generated
2026-10-15
AI Q&A
2026-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
2026-10-13
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

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

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves improper handling of P2P-Device binding in the iwlwifi driver. When a station interface is connected and a P2P-Device performs a remain-on-channel operation, the system may leave a stale PHY context pointer. If the P2P-Device is later removed and re-added to the binding, the firmware can crash due to this lingering pointer.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's iwlwifi driver for Intel Wi-Fi devices. Detection requires checking the kernel version and iwlwifi driver status. Use commands like 'uname -r' to check kernel version and 'modinfo iwlwifi' to verify the driver. If your system uses a vulnerable kernel version (likely 5.15 or earlier), it may be affected.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could cause system instability or crashes, particularly in systems using Intel wireless chips with P2P-Device functionality. It may lead to unexpected reboots or loss of network connectivity during Wi-Fi operations.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's wifi driver (iwlwifi) and involves a firmware crash due to improper handling of P2P-Device binding. It does not directly impact data privacy, security controls, or compliance with standards like GDPR or HIPAA, as it relates to wireless network interface management rather than data protection or access control.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version provided by your distribution. For Intel Wi-Fi users, ensure the iwlwifi firmware is updated. If updating is not possible, disable P2P-Device functionality via kernel parameters or disable the iwlwifi module if not in use.

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