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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-98311: Linux kernel · wifi: virt_wifi: don't transfer operstate before register

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in f9526054c2b2cace5916b7225603d008834ec011 : patch Linux kernel soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in f9526054c2b2cace5916b7225603d008834ec011, ee9ea1afd6990def51d52b3a0aecd5cfcc951da0, e8304e25c6dabb8accf38b807969438d0ce84fd7 +5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 6 Oct 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < f9526054c2b2cace5916b7225603d008834ec011
Fixed in
  • f9526054c2b2cace5916b7225603d008834ec011
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < ee9ea1afd6990def51d52b3a0aecd5cfcc951da0
Fixed in
  • ee9ea1afd6990def51d52b3a0aecd5cfcc951da0
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < e8304e25c6dabb8accf38b807969438d0ce84fd7
Fixed in
  • e8304e25c6dabb8accf38b807969438d0ce84fd7
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < e5c8d7acd31b27057ea42cd405d0b3ece097bc89
Fixed in
  • e5c8d7acd31b27057ea42cd405d0b3ece097bc89
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < ca49763c42c1089d654bf11b037980a9ede3772c
Fixed in
  • ca49763c42c1089d654bf11b037980a9ede3772c
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • ≥ c7cdba31ed8b87526db978976392802d3f93110c, < b808a9af5fd21f9c68b0d024eda7535b5dce6a4e
Fixed in
  • b808a9af5fd21f9c68b0d024eda7535b5dce6a4e

AI-suggested

A fix is available and has been applied in the Linux kernel. Users and administrators should update to a Linux kernel version that includes the fix commits identified (e.g., commits f9526054c2b2cace5916b7225603d008834ec011 and others). No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the official patch.

Description

CVE-2026-98311 is a high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virt_wifi component. The issue arises because virt_wifi_newlink() calls netif_stacked_transfer_operstate() before the network device is registered, which can lead to a use-after-free condition if registration fails. This occurs when the lower device is dormant and the new network device is queued on an event list while uninitialized. Subsequent cleanup frees the device object, but later event handling accesses the freed memory. The flaw has been fixed by moving the operstate transfer to after the device registration step.

References

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