CVE-2024-26896 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's Wi-Fi driver subsystem, specifically within the wfx driver responsible for managing certain Wi-Fi chipsets. The issue is a memory leak occurring when the system starts an Access Point (AP) mode. The root cause is traced to the function wfx_start_ap(), which calls ieee80211_beacon_get() to allocate memory for beacon frames but fails to release this memory properly, leading to unreferenced objects in kernel memory. This leak was detected by the kernel memory leak detector (kmemleak), which reported unreferenced objects linked to the wpa_supplicant process. The vulnerability is related to improper memory management in the AP start sequence, specifically in the wfx_set_mfp_ap() function, where allocated memory by ieee80211_beacon_get() is never freed. Although the kernel stack traces are somewhat obscured due to build optimizations, the analysis confirms the leak. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), indicating potential memory handling issues. While no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the flaw could lead to gradual memory exhaustion on affected systems running the vulnerable Linux kernel versions, potentially causing system instability or denial of service. The affected versions are identified by specific kernel commit hashes, indicating this is a recent and targeted fix in the Linux kernel source. No CVSS score is assigned yet, and no patch links are provided in the data, but the issue is publicly disclosed and marked as published as of April 17, 2024.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-26896 primarily concerns systems running Linux kernels with the vulnerable wfx Wi-Fi driver, especially those deploying AP mode functionality. This includes enterprise Wi-Fi access points, embedded devices, and network infrastructure relying on Linux-based systems with wfx chipsets. The memory leak can lead to progressive memory consumption, resulting in degraded system performance, instability, or crashes, which could disrupt network availability and connectivity. Such disruptions can affect critical business operations, particularly in sectors relying on continuous wireless network access such as telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, and public services. Although the vulnerability does not directly allow remote code execution or privilege escalation, the denial of service through resource exhaustion could be exploited in targeted attacks to degrade network infrastructure reliability. European organizations with large-scale Linux deployments or embedded Linux devices in their network infrastructure are at risk of operational impact. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate risk, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time. The vulnerability's impact on confidentiality and integrity is minimal, but availability impact is moderate to high depending on deployment scale and mitigation status.

To mitigate CVE-2024-26896, European organizations should: 1) Identify Linux systems running the wfx Wi-Fi driver and verify kernel versions against the affected commit hashes. 2) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates or patches that address this memory leak as soon as they become available from trusted sources or Linux distributions. 3) For embedded or specialized devices, coordinate with vendors to obtain firmware updates incorporating the fix. 4) Monitor system memory usage on devices running AP mode with wfx drivers to detect abnormal memory growth indicative of leaks. 5) Limit the use of AP mode on vulnerable devices until patched, or consider alternative Wi-Fi drivers or hardware if feasible. 6) Implement robust network monitoring and alerting to detect potential denial-of-service conditions caused by resource exhaustion. 7) Maintain an inventory of Linux-based network devices and ensure timely patch management processes are in place. 8) Engage with Linux community or vendor security advisories regularly to track updates related to this CVE. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on driver-specific identification, proactive monitoring, and vendor coordination for embedded systems.