Kernel crash via unchecked HT Operation pointer
Published Aug 10, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the mwifiex Wi-Fi driver in Linux allows remote attackers to crash the kernel through a crafted access point. The mwifiex_tdls_add_ht_oper() path checks bcn_ht_cap but dereferences independently populated bcn_ht_oper without verifying that it exists. Exposure requires the mwifiex driver, association to an access point advertising HT Capabilities without HT Operation, and TDLS link setup; the bounded result is a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the mwifiex Wi-Fi driver in Linux allows remote attackers to crash the kernel through a crafted access point. The mwifiex_tdls_add_ht_oper() path checks bcn_ht_cap but dereferences independently populated bcn_ht_oper without verifying that it exists. Exposure requires the mwifiex driver, association to an access point advertising HT Capabilities without HT Operation, and TDLS link setup; the bounded result is a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-68197
- Published
- Aug 10, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.16
- Affected versionversion=396939f94084d5923d558e9f22db48bc51156e47 <45011e4d9ba3f2182e5df64be65888044fa20771
- Affected versionversion=396939f94084d5923d558e9f22db48bc51156e47 <9375a4ea4121625ef27a46b74781cda66a5cc61b
- Affected versionversion=396939f94084d5923d558e9f22db48bc51156e47 <c3d68e294cbb6a4090bb219d3dcaca85a011809b
- Affected versionversion=396939f94084d5923d558e9f22db48bc51156e47 <cca4398aa305c22016d1714f388e2fa6ea4e5ad4
- Affected versionversion=396939f94084d5923d558e9f22db48bc51156e47 <eb42c3c8fd479166c42984728754cd779c71fd60
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo