CVE-2026-98423: Linux kernel · wifi: mac80211_hwsim: don't hand frames to mac80211 while stopping
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 2.0 Low.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 01:28 UTC
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 14 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: mac80211_hwsim: don't hand frames to mac80211 while stopping The code checks ->started for frames coming from wmediumd, but the radio can be stopped after the check and before frame delivery, causing mac80211 to hit the WARN_ON(!local->started). Expand the mutex for this case and synchronise against it when the radio is stopped to avoid being able to hit the warning with hwsim. Drop the error print that would've complicated the error path, it only triggers for allocation failures (already noisy) and malformed frames anyway.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98423 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98423 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4e4fe330294e3936e0f4e15d6996468f8a45fb2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/87840d4a3a21b1c19b867a80e16ba69dff284de2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5ce9b2bc9e73213e316a8c72400256a76bf41814 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c79ef616aa16af582fb2cb93b0f750975a0004f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7fa45d8123a7f794b93fc22dbcf19f38dc4d8cb (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f59be7585dc81baa6f36b0035dd6848ea43d318 (opens in a new tab)