CVE-2026-74649: Linux kernel · staging: rtl8723bs: fix missing shared-key auth challenge length check
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High · fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 01:00 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1123.132~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1122.131~20.04.1 +28
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 22 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8878-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8879-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8877-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8886-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-2 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8723bs: fix missing shared-key auth challenge length check The WEP shared-key authentication handler uses the challenge-text element's attacker-controlled length without checking it against the fixed 128-byte chg_txt buffer. In OnAuthClient() the length from rtw_get_ie() - up to 255 - is used to perform memcpy() into the 128-byte pmlmeinfo->chg_txt, so a malicious AP sending a malformed WLAN_EID_CHALLENGE element can overflow/underfill chg_txt by up to 127 bytes. It is reachable over the air, before association, during shared-key authentication. In the case of an overflow, the driver can write out of bounds. In the case of an underfill, the driver can echo stale buffer memory. The challenge text is defined to be exactly 128 octets, which is already provided as the WLAN_AUTH_CHALLENGE_LEN define; require the element to be exactly that length before use.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-74649 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-74649 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/87c2f073d2aaea041d531b8e579c47570b54b3b7 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ba402fd47009d20e51dbfc934abb562098ea35b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d018e7d7d908bdfcb5ecfa922b1d5cb9ddb3722 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6235b5156b48ed5d1ce3410d8f0b2fd67d30d944 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/39ae1033071001af9bb4573ebdbb43bbbe88f749 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a28a4b0592e4a37ea471bc0d308513a93133ce7e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c56ef658ac8c6bca36bc5574715e8f717207c6c (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8878-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8879-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8877-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8886-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-2 (opens in a new tab)