Kernel crash via uncleared mesh channel switch
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Denial of service in Linux mac80211 mesh networking allows local users with mesh-control privileges to crash the kernel during channel-switch teardown. The ieee80211_stop_mesh function releases the channel context without clearing an active channel switch, so later CSA finalization rebuilds a beacon through invalid state and faults. The crash requires a mesh interface to leave while a channel switch remains active; no unauthenticated network trigger is established.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in Linux mac80211 mesh networking allows local users with mesh-control privileges to crash the kernel during channel-switch teardown. The ieee80211_stop_mesh function releases the channel context without clearing an active channel switch, so later CSA finalization rebuilds a beacon through invalid state and faults. The crash requires a mesh interface to leave while a channel switch remains active; no unauthenticated network trigger is established.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98335
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- 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
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=3.13
- Affected versionversion=b8456a14e9d2770846fcf74de18ff95b676149a3 <2e1d6e80148495e728a85a9250176f266312e55c
- Affected versionversion=b8456a14e9d2770846fcf74de18ff95b676149a3 <ac7472a24bd433b81c06582835dd1d5547c10da9
- Affected versionversion=b8456a14e9d2770846fcf74de18ff95b676149a3 <bc544ef02327edf61c94d2b6bae9d14b217009b2
- Affected versionversion=b8456a14e9d2770846fcf74de18ff95b676149a3 <d222fdc973bb8dbf0357772bd9042ffdc8291939
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- syzkaller C reproducer for ieee80211_put_srates_elem crashproof of concept · demonstrated
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
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started