CVE-2026-98196: Linux kernel · wifi: brcmsmac: fix UAF in brcms_free_timer()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 01:27 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 6 Oct 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
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: wifi: brcmsmac: fix UAF in brcms_free_timer() brcms_free_timer() calls brcms_del_timer() which uses the non-synchronous cancel_delayed_work() to cancel the timer's underlying delayed work. If the work callback (_brcms_timer) is already running, cancel_delayed_work() returns false without waiting, and brcms_free_timer() proceeds to kfree(t) while the callback still accesses t through container_of(). Add an explicit cancel_delayed_work_sync() after brcms_del_timer() to guarantee that any in-flight callback has completed before the timer structure is freed.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98196 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98196 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/1eeca1d5e0920fbdad6449768fd2d4364e714180 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/050d2486e8ed2c0a23b87249ccd23e8072721391 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/10eeb0b29fd7f52487c9ae573e8d79c210a0095d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1edb3ddd261e973a4d577c0547e63bfa25a8170d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1eeca1d5e0920fbdad6449768fd2d4364e714180 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a4841ff0b74b495cddd31ae324e922217fc2f13 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/74acccc928851f69184271832d690607877122af (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/777cb6bba59e875b16a1d8897a483a5fecfcd5d2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/856dabd5f2617efb23c043be9e1b22a9e6e97c41 (opens in a new tab)