Adjacent system compromise via unchecked link index
Published Aug 19, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Out-of-bounds access in Linux's mt7996 Wi-Fi transmit path allows adjacent attackers to disclose data, corrupt memory, or crash systems. mt7996_tx uses IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED, whose value is 15, as an unchecked index into 15-entry link arrays and derives transmit pointers from the out-of-range element. An affected system must use the MT7996 driver as an access point or client; an unauthenticated wireless peer can reach the path during MLO association without local user interaction.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds access in Linux's mt7996 Wi-Fi transmit path allows adjacent attackers to disclose data, corrupt memory, or crash systems. mt7996_tx uses IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED, whose value is 15, as an unchecked index into 15-entry link arrays and derives transmit pointers from the out-of-range element. An affected system must use the MT7996 driver as an access point or client; an unauthenticated wireless peer can reach the path during MLO association without local user interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-38599
- Published
- Aug 19, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 19, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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.
- Affected versionversion=3ce8acb86b6614b9f7af794f119f9627efe6b302 <64cbf0d7ce9afe20666da90ec6ecaec6ba5ac64b
- Affected versionversion=3ce8acb86b6614b9f7af794f119f9627efe6b302 <f43e7d8ae4b6a73213032545552bab26f76f113a
- Affected versionversion=3ce8acb86b6614b9f7af794f119f9627efe6b302 <f82eabd0ff8067d1ee95515f4174c9a9569d54cb
- Affected versionversion=6.15
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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