CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-98182

Low risk· EPSS 7%
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.18%

7th percentile - higher than 7% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel's mac80211 subsystem, a monitor interface can be set active without a TXQ, leading to a NULL pointer dereference in the ath9k driver. An attacker with CAP_NET_ADMIN can trigger a kernel crash. The fix refuses the flag when there is no queue.

Risk Assessment

A local attacker with network admin privileges can cause a system crash (kernel panic) by configuring a monitor interface in a specific way.

Recommendation

Apply the Linux kernel update containing the fix. Restrict CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges to authorized users.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

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Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: refuse to make a monitor active when it has no queue A monitor interface only gets a TXQ if it's created active, and one can't be added later. Setting the flag on a down interface is still allowed, so the driver is handed a monitor with no queue. ath9k dereferences it: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000066 RIP: 0010:ath_tx_node_init+0x49/0x170 [ath9k] ath9k_add_interface+0x10c/0x140 [ath9k] drv_add_interface+0x54/0x250 [mac80211] ieee80211_do_open+0x32f/0x800 [mac80211] Reached with CAP_NET_ADMIN by "iw dev X set monitor active" followed by "ip link set X up". RTNL is held, so netlink operations block behind it. Refuse the flag when there is no queue to give.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS