CVE-2026-22978

Kernel information disclosure via uninitialized structure padding

Published Jan 23, 2026 · Updated Jan 23, 2026

Information disclosure in the Linux Kernel allows local users to read 32 bits of kernel data through affected wireless ioctl paths. The WEXT compatibility paths in net/wireless/wext-core.c and wext-priv.c populate struct iw_point without clearing its four-byte padding, exposing residual kernel memory to user space. Exploitation requires a low-privileged local user on a 64-bit system that can invoke the affected wireless ioctl paths; the reported consequence is limited to disclosure.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in the Linux Kernel allows local users to read 32 bits of kernel data through affected wireless ioctl paths. The WEXT compatibility paths in net/wireless/wext-core.c and wext-priv.c populate struct iw_point without clearing its four-byte padding, exposing residual kernel memory to user space. Exploitation requires a low-privileged local user on a 64-bit system that can invoke the affected wireless ioctl paths; the reported consequence is limited to disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-22978
Published
Jan 23, 2026
Updated
Jan 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 23, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 23, 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=2.6.27
  2. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <024f71a57d563fbe162e528c8bf2d27e9cac7c7b
  3. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <21cbf883d073abbfe09e3924466aa5e0449e7261
  4. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <442ceac0393185e9982323f6682a52a53e8462b1
  5. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <a3827e310b5a73535646ef4a552d53b3c8bf74f6
  6. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <d21ec867d84c9f3a9845d7d8c90c9ce35dbe48f8
  7. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <d943b5f592767b107ba8c12a902f17431350378c
  8. Affected versionversion=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <e3c35177103ead4658b8a62f41e3080d45885464

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=2.6.27; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <024f71a57d563fbe162e528c8bf2d27e9cac7c7b; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <21cbf883d073abbfe09e3924466aa5e0449e7261; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <442ceac0393185e9982323f6682a52a53e8462b1; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <a3827e310b5a73535646ef4a552d53b3c8bf74f6; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <d21ec867d84c9f3a9845d7d8c90c9ce35dbe48f8; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <d943b5f592767b107ba8c12a902f17431350378c; version=87de87d5e47f94b4ea647a5bd1bc8dc1f7930db4 <e3c35177103ead4658b8a62f41e3080d45885464

Published CVSS scores

3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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