CVE-2026-98701
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel Mesh Path Handling

Publication date: 2026-10-18

Last updated on: 2026-10-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: release mesh path quota on failed additions Repeated failed or duplicate mesh path additions can exhaust MESH_MAX_MPATHS while the path table holds fewer paths, which stops new paths to reachable destinations from being created. mesh_path_add() reserves a slot before allocating and inserting a path. If allocation fails, the function returns without releasing the slot. If the rhashtable insertion reports an error or an existing destination, the function discards its candidate but retains the reservation. No new path is installed in any of these cases. Release the reservation whenever the candidate is not installed.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-18
Last Modified
2026-10-18
Generated
2026-10-18
AI Q&A
2026-10-18
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98701
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103955

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux ae76eef027f75fadd8a8eda55ee07707f077aacb
Linux Linux ae76eef027f75fadd8a8eda55ee07707f077aacb
Linux Linux ae76eef027f75fadd8a8eda55ee07707f077aacb
Linux Linux ae76eef027f75fadd8a8eda55ee07707f077aacb
Linux Linux 3.10

Helpful Resources

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 involves mesh path quota exhaustion in the mac80211 subsystem. When mesh path additions fail or are duplicates, the system reserves a slot but fails to release it if allocation or insertion fails. This can block new paths to reachable destinations even when the path table has available space.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability may cause mesh path creation failures in WiFi networks. Monitor system logs for mesh_path_add() errors or failed path insertions. Check if MESH_MAX_MPATHS is reached while active paths are low. Use commands like dmesg | grep mesh_path_add or journalctl -u NetworkManager | grep mesh to detect issues.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this flaw could disrupt wireless mesh networking by preventing new paths from being created. This may lead to network outages or degraded performance in mesh networks relying on the Linux kernel's mac80211 subsystem.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel update to patch the issue. Restart networking services to clear any exhausted mesh path quotas. Monitor mesh path tables using commands like ip -details link show type mesh or iw dev <interface> mpath list to ensure normal operation.

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