CVE-2026-98184
Received Received - Intake

Heap Buffer Overflow in mwifiex WiFi Driver

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: mwifiex: prevent authentication frame length truncation mwifiex_cfg80211_authenticate() derives the authentication frame length from req->ie_len and req->auth_data_len, both of type size_t, but stores it in a u16. NL80211_ATTR_AUTH_DATA only has a minimum length policy. Since nla_len is a u16, a single attribute can carry up to 65531 bytes of payload, so the sum can exceed U16_MAX before it is assigned to pkt_len. The truncated pkt_len determines the skb frame area, while the copy length remains req->auth_data_len - 4, resulting in a heap buffer overflow. For example, with auth_data_len equal to 65510 and no IEs, the sum is 65546. It is truncated to 10 and then reduced by four to 6. The driver appends only six bytes to the skb with skb_put(), but then copies 65506 user-provided bytes into the authentication body. Reaching this path requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the user namespace owning the network namespace, an up station netdev, and a suitable BSS/SAE authentication request. Compute the length in size_t, reject values that cannot be represented by the firmware's u16 frame length field, and only then assign it to pkt_len.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-06
Last Modified
2026-10-06
Generated
2026-10-06
AI Q&A
2026-10-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98184
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93112

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 36995892c271cce5e2230bc165a06f109b117222
Linux Linux 36995892c271cce5e2230bc165a06f109b117222
Linux Linux 36995892c271cce5e2230bc165a06f109b117222
Linux Linux 36995892c271cce5e2230bc165a06f109b117222
Linux Linux 6.12

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a heap buffer overflow in the Linux kernel's mwifiex Wi-Fi driver. It occurs when the driver processes authentication frames. The issue arises because the driver calculates the frame length using size_t variables but stores it in a smaller u16 type, causing truncation. This leads to a mismatch where the driver copies more data than allocated, resulting in a heap overflow.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability requires specific conditions to be exploited, including CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges, an up station netdev, and a suitable BSS/SAE authentication request. Detection may involve monitoring for unusual authentication frame lengths or heap buffer overflows in the mwifiex driver. Check kernel logs for mwifiex-related errors or crashes.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges in a user namespace could exploit this to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code on the system. This requires access to a network namespace with a suitable Wi-Fi device and a crafted authentication request.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that address this issue. If patches are unavailable, consider disabling the mwifiex driver or restricting CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges in user namespaces. Monitor vendor advisories for updates.

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