Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-84PR-VGRV-386J

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-03 18:31 – Updated: 2026-06-01 18:31

Details

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure

ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them free the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning TX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the fragmentation check both do.

Add kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent, and remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76, mac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free.

Document the skb ownership guarantee in the function's kdoc.

Severity

5.5 (Medium)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-23444"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-401"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-04-03T16:16:28Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure\n\nieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them\nfree the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning\nTX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the\nfragmentation check both do.\n\nAdd kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent,\nand remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76,\nmac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free.\n\nDocument the skb ownership guarantee in the function\u0027s kdoc.",
  "id": "GHSA-84pr-vgrv-386j",
  "modified": "2026-06-01T18:31:23Z",
  "published": "2026-04-03T18:31:21Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23444"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06e769dddcbeb3baf2ce346273b53dd61fdbecf4"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4d27acafaeab478fd24f79ad6e593a892828b9"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50f1b690b4868923fbd242298def2fb88662f108"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5ef8ca1c164786da24169af155c1ca1ff1353cf8"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/905ef207d5ed99ca64adfe39fba9ac46e434327a"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a779d1f480e83720b5384adf165604e7ee226bd"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5ad6ab61cbd89afdb60881f6274f74328af3ee9"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77b51bcee7be2bb686b5f7a2d4a1921e4bdb9f4"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2026-23444 (GCVE-0-2026-23444)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-04-03 15:15 – Updated: 2026-08-05 12:21

Title

wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them free the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning TX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the fragmentation check both do. Add kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent, and remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76, mac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free. Document the skb ownership guarantee in the function's kdoc.

Severity

7.8 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Assigner

Linux mitre root

References

8 references

URL	Tags
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/905ef207d5ed99ca6…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5ef8ca1c164786da2…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a779d1f480e83720…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77b51bcee7be2bb6…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4d27acafaeab478…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06e769dddcbeb3baf…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50f1b690b4868923f…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5ad6ab61cbd89afd…

Impacted products

2 products

Vendor	Product	Version
Linux	Linux	Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 905ef207d5ed99ca64adfe39fba9ac46e434327a (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 5ef8ca1c164786da24169af155c1ca1ff1353cf8 (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 9a779d1f480e83720b5384adf165604e7ee226bd (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < f77b51bcee7be2bb686b5f7a2d4a1921e4bdb9f4 (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 3b4d27acafaeab478fd24f79ad6e593a892828b9 (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 06e769dddcbeb3baf2ce346273b53dd61fdbecf4 (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < 50f1b690b4868923fbd242298def2fb88662f108 (git) Affected: 06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced , < d5ad6ab61cbd89afdb60881f6274f74328af3ee9 (git)
Linux	Linux	Affected: 3.13 Unaffected: 0 , < 3.13 (semver) Unaffected: 5.10.258 , ≤ 5.10.* (semver) Unaffected: 5.15.209 , ≤ 5.15.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.1.175 , ≤ 6.1.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.6.136 , ≤ 6.6.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.12.84 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.18.20 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.19.10 , ≤ 6.19.* (semver) Unaffected: 7.0 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)

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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/channel.c",
            "drivers/net/wireless/mediatek/mt76/scan.c",
            "drivers/net/wireless/virtual/mac80211_hwsim.c",
            "include/net/mac80211.h",
            "net/mac80211/tx.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "905ef207d5ed99ca64adfe39fba9ac46e434327a",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5ef8ca1c164786da24169af155c1ca1ff1353cf8",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "9a779d1f480e83720b5384adf165604e7ee226bd",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "f77b51bcee7be2bb686b5f7a2d4a1921e4bdb9f4",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "3b4d27acafaeab478fd24f79ad6e593a892828b9",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "06e769dddcbeb3baf2ce346273b53dd61fdbecf4",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "50f1b690b4868923fbd242298def2fb88662f108",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "d5ad6ab61cbd89afdb60881f6274f74328af3ee9",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "06be6b149f7e406bcf16098567f5a6c9f042bced",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/channel.c",
            "drivers/net/wireless/mediatek/mt76/scan.c",
            "drivers/net/wireless/virtual/mac80211_hwsim.c",
            "include/net/mac80211.h",
            "net/mac80211/tx.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3.13"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "3.13",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "5.10.258",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.15.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "5.15.209",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.1.175",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.6.136",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.12.84",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.18.20",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.19.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.19.10",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.0",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.258",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.209",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.175",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.136",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.84",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.20",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.19.10",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.0",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "3.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
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            }
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        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure\n\nieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them\nfree the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning\nTX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the\nfragmentation check both do.\n\nAdd kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent,\nand remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76,\nmac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free.\n\nDocument the skb ownership guarantee in the function\u0027s kdoc."
        }
      ],
      "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 vulnerable mac80211 helper is reached from local nl80211 operations such as setting wireless parameters and triggering hardware scans, not from received WiFi frames. A local attacker can drive affected scan paths through the kernel\u0027s generic netlink API.\nAC:L - The failure path can be triggered deterministically on an affected device by choosing scan parameters that produce a directed, oversized probe request with a low fragmentation threshold. No race or condition outside the attacker\u0027s control is required once the affected driver/path is available.\nPR:L - The reachable nl80211 commands are guarded by GENL_UNS_ADMIN_PERM/CAP_NET_ADMIN in the relevant network namespace, which is low privilege for CVSS purposes and can be reachable through user namespaces in plausible deployments. It does not require full init-namespace root.\nUI:N - After obtaining the needed local privileges, the attacker can issue the netlink operations directly. No separate victim action is required.\nS:U - The bug corrupts kernel networking memory within the same kernel security authority. It does not cross a VM, hypervisor, or separate security-scope boundary.\nC:H - The vulnerable failure path creates a double-free/use-after-free of an sk_buff, which is kernel heap memory corruption. Such corruption can plausibly be exploited for kernel memory disclosure, so confidentiality impact is high.\nI:H - The double-free/use-after-free can plausibly be turned into kernel heap manipulation and control-flow or data corruption. Under the required overestimate rule, this supports high integrity impact.\nA:H - Even without full exploitation, the double-free/use-after-free can trigger slab corruption, warnings, oopses, or kernel panic. Availability impact is therefore high."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T12:21:47.685Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/905ef207d5ed99ca64adfe39fba9ac46e434327a"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5ef8ca1c164786da24169af155c1ca1ff1353cf8"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a779d1f480e83720b5384adf165604e7ee226bd"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77b51bcee7be2bb686b5f7a2d4a1921e4bdb9f4"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4d27acafaeab478fd24f79ad6e593a892828b9"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06e769dddcbeb3baf2ce346273b53dd61fdbecf4"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50f1b690b4868923fbd242298def2fb88662f108"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5ad6ab61cbd89afdb60881f6274f74328af3ee9"
        }
      ],
      "title": "wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-23444",
    "datePublished": "2026-04-03T15:15:28.464Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-01-13T15:37:46.019Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T12:21:47.685Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

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.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

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Action not permitted

GHSA-84PR-VGRV-386J

CVE-2026-23444 (GCVE-0-2026-23444)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature

Related by attack behaviour