In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: mac80211: tear down new links on vif update error path
When ieee80211_vif_update_links() adds new links it allocates a link
container for each and calls ieee80211_link_init() (which registers the
per-link debugfs files with file->private_data pointing into the container)
and ieee80211_link_setup(). If the subsequent drv_change_vif_links() fails,
the error path restores the old pointers and jumps to 'free', which frees
the new containers but never removes their debugfs entries or stops the
links. The debugfs files survive with file->private_data dangling at the
freed container, so a later open()+read() (e.g. link-1/txpower)
dereferences freed memory in ieee80211_if_read_link(), a use-after-free.
The removal path already dismantles links correctly via
ieee80211_tear_down_links(), which removes each link's keys and debugfs
entries and calls ieee80211_link_stop(); the add path on the error branch
does not. Commit be1ba9ed221f ("wifi: mac80211: avoid weird state in error
path") hardened this same error path for the link-removal case
(new_links == 0) but left the newly-added links' teardown unaddressed.
drv_change_vif_links() can fail at runtime on MLO drivers (internal
allocation / queue / firmware command failures).
Remove the new links' debugfs entries and stop them before freeing.
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
Read of size 8 at addr ffff888011290000 by task exploit/145
Call Trace:
...
ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
short_proxy_read (fs/debugfs/file.c:373)
vfs_read (fs/read_write.c:572)
ksys_read (fs/read_write.c:716)
do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94)
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:121)
...
Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc000000000a
RIP: 0010:ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
wifi: mac80211: tear down new links on vif update error path
When ieee80211_vif_update_links() adds new links it allocates a link
container for each and calls ieee80211_link_init() (which registers the
per-link debugfs files with file->private_data pointing into the container)
and ieee80211_link_setup(). If the subsequent drv_change_vif_links() fails,
the error path restores the old pointers and jumps to 'free', which frees
the new containers but never removes their debugfs entries or stops the
links. The debugfs files survive with file->private_data dangling at the
freed container, so a later open()+read() (e.g. link-1/txpower)
dereferences freed memory in ieee80211_if_read_link(), a use-after-free.
The removal path already dismantles links correctly via
ieee80211_tear_down_links(), which removes each link's keys and debugfs
entries and calls ieee80211_link_stop(); the add path on the error branch
does not. Commit be1ba9ed221f ("wifi: mac80211: avoid weird state in error
path") hardened this same error path for the link-removal case
(new_links == 0) but left the newly-added links' teardown unaddressed.
drv_change_vif_links() can fail at runtime on MLO drivers (internal
allocation / queue / firmware command failures).
Remove the new links' debugfs entries and stop them before freeing.
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
Read of size 8 at addr ffff888011290000 by task exploit/145
Call Trace:
...
ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
short_proxy_read (fs/debugfs/file.c:373)
vfs_read (fs/read_write.c:572)
ksys_read (fs/read_write.c:716)
do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94)
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:121)
...
Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc000000000a
RIP: 0010:ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127)
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-416 |
Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: tear down new links on vif update error path When ieee80211_vif_update_links() adds new links it allocates a link container for each and calls ieee80211_link_init() (which registers the per-link debugfs files with file->private_data pointing into the container) and ieee80211_link_setup(). If the subsequent drv_change_vif_links() fails, the error path restores the old pointers and jumps to 'free', which frees the new containers but never removes their debugfs entries or stops the links. The debugfs files survive with file->private_data dangling at the freed container, so a later open()+read() (e.g. link-1/txpower) dereferences freed memory in ieee80211_if_read_link(), a use-after-free. The removal path already dismantles links correctly via ieee80211_tear_down_links(), which removes each link's keys and debugfs entries and calls ieee80211_link_stop(); the add path on the error branch does not. Commit be1ba9ed221f ("wifi: mac80211: avoid weird state in error path") hardened this same error path for the link-removal case (new_links == 0) but left the newly-added links' teardown unaddressed. drv_change_vif_links() can fail at runtime on MLO drivers (internal allocation / queue / firmware command failures). Remove the new links' debugfs entries and stop them before freeing. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127) Read of size 8 at addr ffff888011290000 by task exploit/145 Call Trace: ... ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127) short_proxy_read (fs/debugfs/file.c:373) vfs_read (fs/read_write.c:572) ksys_read (fs/read_write.c:716) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:121) ... Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc000000000a RIP: 0010:ieee80211_if_read_link (net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.c:127) Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception | |
| Title | wifi: mac80211: tear down new links on vif update error path | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
Projects
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Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-08-05T08:08:10.272Z
Reserved: 2026-07-19T15:36:31.797Z
Link: CVE-2026-64574
No data.
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OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-08-05T10:00:03Z
Weaknesses