Bug 2555230 (CVE-2026-98823)

Summary:	CVE-2026-98823 kernel: wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership
Product:	[Other] Security Response	Reporter:	OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component:	vulnerability	Assignee:	Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	medium	Docs Contact:
Priority:	medium
Version:	unspecified	CC:	akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone:	---	Keywords:	Security
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	---
Doc Text:	A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's cfg80211 wireless subsystem. This issue allows an adjacent attacker within wireless range to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) by crashing the system. During a channel switch, the kernel improperly manages memory ownership when merging wireless scan entries that borrow beacon information elements (IEs). Releasing these entries can result in a double-free condition, leading to kernel memory corruption.	Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
Last Closed:		Type:	---
Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-10-18 16:03:24 UTC

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

wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership

A hidden-group probe-response entry borrows its beacon IEs from the
group's beacon entry. cfg80211_update_assoc_bss_entry() can pass such
an entry to cfg80211_update_known_bss() when merging scan entries
after a channel switch.

Copying the borrowed beacon_ies into the associated entry gives the
same allocation two owners. Releasing the group's beacon entry can
then leave the associated entry pointing to freed IEs, which are
freed again when that entry is released.

Skip beacon IE replacement when the source entry belongs to a hidden
group. Preserve probe-response processing, the subsequent metadata
updates, and the existing rejection path for conflicting hidden
beacon updates.

Comment 1 Mauro Matteo Cascella 2026-10-23 20:11:13 UTC

Upstream advisory:
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98823.mbox