CVE-2026-68412

Service interruption via oversized ESSID resource leak

Published Aug 10, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

Resource leak in the Linux kernel Wi-Fi cfg80211 subsystem allows local users to exhaust memory via an oversized ESSID scan request. The cfg80211_wext_siwscan() error branch returns when essid_len exceeds IEEE80211_MAX_SSID_LEN without freeing the allocated creq object. Triggering requires local access to submit SIOCSIWSCAN requests through a wireless interface; repeated requests can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in the Linux kernel Wi-Fi cfg80211 subsystem allows local users to exhaust memory via an oversized ESSID scan request. The cfg80211_wext_siwscan() error branch returns when essid_len exceeds IEEE80211_MAX_SSID_LEN without freeing the allocated creq object. Triggering requires local access to submit SIOCSIWSCAN requests through a wireless interface; repeated requests can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68412
Published
Aug 10, 2026
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 10, 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=2.6.30
  2. Affected versionversion=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <99d2e850c643e2c70fa165b722a1ad28347a8b3a
  3. Affected versionversion=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <c6659f66d4ee4841aafae5659d2ef5e4c5c63cb6
  4. Affected versionversion=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <e67dc2b8d5ac4bb804000b6732768a9ae678912f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.30; version=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <99d2e850c643e2c70fa165b722a1ad28347a8b3a; version=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <c6659f66d4ee4841aafae5659d2ef5e4c5c63cb6; version=2a5193119269062608582418deba7af82844159a <e67dc2b8d5ac4bb804000b6732768a9ae678912f

Published CVSS scores

6.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

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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