Out-of-bounds kernel read via short Wi-Fi frames
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Out-of-bounds read in Linux libipw allows physically proximate attackers to make the kernel read beyond a receive buffer with short Wi-Fi frames. In libipw_network_init(), subtracting the 36-byte beacon prefix from a shorter frame length wraps to a large information-element length, which libipw_parse_info_param() uses to walk past the allocation. The path requires an active ipw2100 or ipw2200 receiver within radio range; published validation establishes the out-of-bounds read, not a crash or attacker-visible data leak.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds read in Linux libipw allows physically proximate attackers to make the kernel read beyond a receive buffer with short Wi-Fi frames. In libipw_network_init(), subtracting the 36-byte beacon prefix from a shorter frame length wraps to a large information-element length, which libipw_parse_info_param() uses to walk past the allocation. The path requires an active ipw2100 or ipw2200 receiver within radio range; published validation establishes the out-of-bounds read, not a crash or attacker-visible data leak.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98349
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.14
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <14ae269c1306053ddf1ccf37c4bd66e085a652d1
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <19959fb60228f6dccc40d55507f8b1a751c2dc89
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <23afeb5d2bdfd34c8a0a661876291a4fa9978293
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <2c87bbc00dc93149d1dc4f803ad92d92e4ef3758
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <5ce5721e8cbe3e80db8f43851cc2a2a92485ef4b
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <89959ff00a978f3172726d3d5f861ee6f1aae26d
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <cee6f141b3bebe62eb0363fd147acb52023935f0
- Affected versionversion=b453872c35cfcbdbf5a794737817f7d4e7b1b579 <ff756e6647722b7d225d882f7bdb186d8eee318e
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
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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