CVE-2026-68404 (GCVE-0-2026-68404)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-10 12:04 – Updated: 2026-08-17 05:04
VLAI
Title
wifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect nl80211_netlink_notify() walks the cfg80211 wireless device list when a NETLINK_GENERIC socket is released. If the socket owns a connection, the notifier queues the embedded wdev->disconnect_wk work item. That work is a plain work_struct today. NETDEV_GOING_DOWN cancels it, but a NETLINK_URELEASE notifier that already observed conn_owner_nlportid can queue it after that cancel returns. _cfg80211_unregister_wdev() then removes the wdev from the list and waits for RCU readers, but synchronize_net() does not drain work queued by such a reader. Make the autodisconnect work a wiphy_work instead. The callback already needs the wiphy mutex, and wiphy_work runs under that mutex. This lets teardown cancel pending autodisconnect work while holding the mutex, without a cancel_work_sync() vs. worker locking concern. Also cancel the wiphy work after list_del_rcu() and synchronize_net(). Any NETLINK_URELEASE notifier that had already reached the wdev list has then either queued the work and it is removed, or can no longer find the wdev.
Severity
7.8 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a , < 6d6123fef5a4af175cc6b6b12a03dd0f3c240b79 (git)
Affected: bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a , < 0c2ed186bbe14304415476d6707b747dddcd8583 (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 4.11
Unaffected: 0 , < 4.11 (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.6 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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Show details on NVD website
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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "include/net/cfg80211.h",
            "net/wireless/core.c",
            "net/wireless/core.h",
            "net/wireless/nl80211.c",
            "net/wireless/sme.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "6d6123fef5a4af175cc6b6b12a03dd0f3c240b79",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "0c2ed186bbe14304415476d6707b747dddcd8583",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "include/net/cfg80211.h",
            "net/wireless/core.c",
            "net/wireless/core.h",
            "net/wireless/nl80211.c",
            "net/wireless/sme.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.11"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "4.11",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.1.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.1.6",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.1.6",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "4.11",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.2",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "4.11",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect\n\nnl80211_netlink_notify() walks the cfg80211 wireless device list when a\nNETLINK_GENERIC socket is released. If the socket owns a connection, the\nnotifier queues the embedded wdev-\u003edisconnect_wk work item.\n\nThat work is a plain work_struct today. NETDEV_GOING_DOWN cancels it, but a\nNETLINK_URELEASE notifier that already observed conn_owner_nlportid can\nqueue it after that cancel returns. _cfg80211_unregister_wdev() then\nremoves the wdev from the list and waits for RCU readers, but\nsynchronize_net() does not drain work queued by such a reader.\n\nMake the autodisconnect work a wiphy_work instead. The callback already\nneeds the wiphy mutex, and wiphy_work runs under that mutex. This lets\nteardown cancel pending autodisconnect work while holding the mutex,\nwithout a cancel_work_sync() vs. worker locking concern.\n\nAlso cancel the wiphy work after list_del_rcu() and synchronize_net(). Any\nNETLINK_URELEASE notifier that had already reached the wdev list has then\neither queued the work and it is removed, or can no longer find the wdev."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7.8,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The vulnerability is reached through local nl80211/generic-netlink operations: setting NL80211_ATTR_SOCKET_OWNER on a connect/join command, closing the owning netlink socket, and tearing down the wireless interface. No network or radio traffic is required, so the attack vector is Local.\nAC:L - The attacker controls both sides of the race \u2014 the NETLINK_URELEASE notification (by closing its own socket) and the wdev teardown (by downing/deleting the interface) \u2014 and can repeat the sequence in a tight loop until the work is queued after the cancel window.\nPR:L - The relevant nl80211 commands use GENL_UNS_ADMIN_PERM and the family is netnsok, and mac80211_hwsim\u0027s HWSIM_CMD_NEW_RADIO likewise creates a wiphy in the caller\u0027s netns (wiphy_net_set(genl_info_net(info))), so an unprivileged user in a user+net namespace (unshare -Urn) obtains the required CAP_NET_ADMIN.\nUI:N - The entire sequence \u2014 creating/owning the connection, closing the socket, and removing the interface \u2014 is performed by the attacker\u0027s own process with no victim action required.\nS:U - The use-after-free corrupts kernel heap memory within the same kernel security authority; no VM, IOMMU, or sandbox boundary is crossed.\nC:H - The freed wireless_dev lives in the net_device private allocation; a use-after-free on that slab lets an attacker reclaim and inspect kernel heap contents, and cfg80211_autodisconnect_wk dereferences the stale object, enabling disclosure of arbitrary kernel memory.\nI:H - Queueing writes work list pointers into freed memory, and process_one_work() later loads work-\u003efunc from the reclaimed allocation, giving an attacker who sprays the slab a controlled kernel function pointer call and thus arbitrary write/code execution.\nA:H - Running cfg80211_autodisconnect_wk against a freed wireless_dev dereferences stale pointers and drives disconnect paths on destroyed state, reliably producing an oops or panic even without successful exploitation."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:04:54.332Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6d6123fef5a4af175cc6b6b12a03dd0f3c240b79"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c2ed186bbe14304415476d6707b747dddcd8583"
        }
      ],
      "title": "wifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-68404",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-10T12:04:24.241Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-07-30T09:28:09.390Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T05:04:54.332Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68404",
      "date": "2026-08-20",
      "epss": "0.00154",
      "percentile": "0.0508"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-68404\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2026-08-10T13:20:33.947\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-08-17T06:17:49.230\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Received\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\nwifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect\\n\\nnl80211_netlink_notify() walks the cfg80211 wireless device list when a\\nNETLINK_GENERIC socket is released. If the socket owns a connection, the\\nnotifier queues the embedded wdev-\u003edisconnect_wk work item.\\n\\nThat work is a plain work_struct today. NETDEV_GOING_DOWN cancels it, but a\\nNETLINK_URELEASE notifier that already observed conn_owner_nlportid can\\nqueue it after that cancel returns. _cfg80211_unregister_wdev() then\\nremoves the wdev from the list and waits for RCU readers, but\\nsynchronize_net() does not drain work queued by such a reader.\\n\\nMake the autodisconnect work a wiphy_work instead. The callback already\\nneeds the wiphy mutex, and wiphy_work runs under that mutex. This lets\\nteardown cancel pending autodisconnect work while holding the mutex,\\nwithout a cancel_work_sync() vs. worker locking concern.\\n\\nAlso cancel the wiphy work after list_del_rcu() and synchronize_net(). Any\\nNETLINK_URELEASE notifier that had already reached the wdev list has then\\neither queued the work and it is removed, or can no longer find the wdev.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"include/net/cfg80211.h\",\"net/wireless/core.c\",\"net/wireless/core.h\",\"net/wireless/nl80211.c\",\"net/wireless/sme.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a\",\"lessThan\":\"6d6123fef5a4af175cc6b6b12a03dd0f3c240b79\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"bd2522b168847106c1885f0319a2833bdf88bf9a\",\"lessThan\":\"0c2ed186bbe14304415476d6707b747dddcd8583\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"include/net/cfg80211.h\",\"net/wireless/core.c\",\"net/wireless/core.h\",\"net/wireless/nl80211.c\",\"net/wireless/sme.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"4.11\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"4.11\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.1.6\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"7.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.2\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"LOW\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.8,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c2ed186bbe14304415476d6707b747dddcd8583\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6d6123fef5a4af175cc6b6b12a03dd0f3c240b79\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-13T23:28:03+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68404",
      "id": "CVE-2026-68404",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "234",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "42",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: wifi: cfg80211: use wiphy work for socket owner autodisconnect",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-68404.json",
      "version": "3"
    },
    "suse_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "important",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-13T16:22:12Z",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68404",
      "id": "CVE-2026-68404",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-13T16:22:12Z",
      "product_status:known_affected": "290",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "6",
      "source": "SUSE CSAF VEX",
      "status": "interim",
      "title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2026-68404",
      "url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2026-68404.json",
      "version": "2"
    }
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


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