Bug 2451170 (CVE-2026-23279) - CVE-2026-23279 kernel: wifi: mac80211: fix NULL pointer dereference in mesh_rx_csa_frame()
Summary: CVE-2026-23279 kernel: wifi: mac80211: fix NULL pointer dereference in mesh_r...
Keywords:
Status: NEW
Alias: CVE-2026-23279
Product: Security Response
Classification: Other
Component: vulnerability
Version: unspecified
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
unspecified
unspecified
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Product Security
QA Contact:
URL:
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Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2026-03-25 11:02 UTC by OSIDB Bzimport
Modified: 2026-03-25 18:30 UTC (History)
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-03-25 11:02:29 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: mac80211: fix NULL pointer dereference in mesh_rx_csa_frame()

In mesh_rx_csa_frame(), elems->mesh_chansw_params_ie is dereferenced
at lines 1638 and 1642 without a prior NULL check:

    ifmsh->chsw_ttl = elems->mesh_chansw_params_ie->mesh_ttl;
    ...
    pre_value = le16_to_cpu(elems->mesh_chansw_params_ie->mesh_pre_value);

The mesh_matches_local() check above only validates the Mesh ID,
Mesh Configuration, and Supported Rates IEs.  It does not verify the
presence of the Mesh Channel Switch Parameters IE (element ID 118).
When a received CSA action frame omits that IE, ieee802_11_parse_elems()
leaves elems->mesh_chansw_params_ie as NULL, and the unconditional
dereference causes a kernel NULL pointer dereference.

A remote mesh peer with an established peer link (PLINK_ESTAB) can
trigger this by sending a crafted SPECTRUM_MGMT/CHL_SWITCH action frame
that includes a matching Mesh ID and Mesh Configuration IE but omits the
Mesh Channel Switch Parameters IE.  No authentication beyond the default
open mesh peering is required.

Crash confirmed on kernel 6.17.0-5-generic via mac80211_hwsim:

  BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
  Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI
  RIP: 0010:ieee80211_mesh_rx_queued_mgmt+0x143/0x2a0 [mac80211]
  CR2: 0000000000000000

Fix by adding a NULL check for mesh_chansw_params_ie after
mesh_matches_local() returns, consistent with how other optional IEs
are guarded throughout the mesh code.

The bug has been present since v3.13 (released 2014-01-19).


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