CVE-2026-98346
Received Received - Intake

NULL Pointer Dereference in Linux Kernel cfg80211

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: cfg80211: don't get the radio mask for netdev-less wdevs cfg80211_calculate_bi_data() calls rdev_get_radio_mask() with wdev->netdev, which can be NULL and then crashes in mac80211. To avoid that, invert the order of checks since wdev->netdev is always valid for beaconing interfaces.

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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-2026-98346
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93331

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux abb4cfe3661aa05426916b21164f88ca5a405a3a
Linux Linux abb4cfe3661aa05426916b21164f88ca5a405a3a
Linux Linux abb4cfe3661aa05426916b21164f88ca5a405a3a
Linux Linux abb4cfe3661aa05426916b21164f88ca5a405a3a
Linux Linux 6.11

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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 occurs when the cfg80211_calculate_bi_data() function calls rdev_get_radio_mask() with a netdev pointer that can be NULL. This leads to a crash in mac80211 because the function assumes the netdev is always valid.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's wifi subsystem, specifically in the cfg80211 module. Detection requires checking if your system runs a vulnerable kernel version. Use uname -a to check the kernel version and compare it against patched versions. Look for crashes or kernel panics related to wifi operations, particularly during beaconing operations.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could cause a system crash or instability in systems running affected Linux kernel versions. It specifically affects wireless networking components using cfg80211.

Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version provided by your distribution. If immediate updates are unavailable, disable wifi interfaces not associated with a network device to prevent triggering the vulnerable code path. Monitor kernel logs for wifi-related crashes as an indicator of exploitation.

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