CVE-2024-35946

Kernel crash via wrong scan interface pointer

Published May 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux rtw89 Wi-Fi driver from 5.16 allows local users to crash the kernel during scan cancellation. The rtw89_ops_bss_info_changed and rtw89_ops_remain_on_channel paths pass their current vif to rtw89_hw_scan_abort even when another virtual interface owns the active scan. Reachability requires an rtw89 wireless device and overlapping scan cancellation on different virtual interfaces; the resulting NULL access crashes the kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux rtw89 Wi-Fi driver from 5.16 allows local users to crash the kernel during scan cancellation. The rtw89_ops_bss_info_changed and rtw89_ops_remain_on_channel paths pass their current vif to rtw89_hw_scan_abort even when another virtual interface owns the active scan. Reachability requires an rtw89 wireless device and overlapping scan cancellation on different virtual interfaces; the resulting NULL access crashes the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-35946
Published
May 19, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.16
  2. Affected versionversion=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <4f11c741908dab7dd48fa5a986b210d4fc74ca8d
  3. Affected versionversion=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <7e11a2966f51695c0af0b1f976a32d64dee243b2
  4. Affected versionversion=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <b34d64e9aa5505e3c84570aed5c757f1839573e8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.16; version=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <4f11c741908dab7dd48fa5a986b210d4fc74ca8d; version=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <7e11a2966f51695c0af0b1f976a32d64dee243b2; version=e3ec7017f6a20d12ddd9fe23d345ebb7b8c104dd <b34d64e9aa5505e3c84570aed5c757f1839573e8

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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