Kernel crash via stale AP beacon state
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
A state-handling flaw in Linux mac80211 allows attackers to trigger a kernel divide-error crash through failed access-point setup and scanning. The ieee80211_start_ap() failure path leaves enable_beacon and beacon_int set, so scan completion attempts to restore beaconing with invalid access-point state. The trigger requires control over access-point setup and a subsequent scan on an affected wireless interface; remote Wi-Fi traffic alone is not shown to reach it.
Summary
What happened
A state-handling flaw in Linux mac80211 allows attackers to trigger a kernel divide-error crash through failed access-point setup and scanning. The ieee80211_start_ap() failure path leaves enable_beacon and beacon_int set, so scan completion attempts to restore beaconing with invalid access-point state. The trigger requires control over access-point setup and a subsequent scan on an affected wireless interface; remote Wi-Fi traffic alone is not shown to reach it.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98334
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 6, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=3.9
- Affected versionversion=d6a83228823fc0cc8d79d95c9f0bf568b7317862 <3f28551d0241254a75626d868041c6340285088b
- Affected versionversion=d6a83228823fc0cc8d79d95c9f0bf568b7317862 <5d5ff5b36f5748a2a077f875a73ccb26860d3fcc
- Affected versionversion=d6a83228823fc0cc8d79d95c9f0bf568b7317862 <6eac225f59c1c2277ac74f8a716d6df0ba3b8d28
- Affected versionversion=d6a83228823fc0cc8d79d95c9f0bf568b7317862 <d83da43e9b3b3b1bad99ac5a1065f1c63ad5fc32
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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