VulnerabilityPublished 18 Oct 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026

CVE-2026-98823: Linux kernel · wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · fixed in dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

Severity

Unrated

Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD

EPSS: 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967, cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14, 5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9 +2

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 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.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f, < dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967	Fixed in dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f, < cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14	Fixed in cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f, < 5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9	Fixed in 5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f, < 49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08b	Fixed in 49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08b
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 0afd425b1b64251f19b5d8d8b49bf56fefbc643f, < 5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60	Fixed in 5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60
LinuxLinux	Affected =5.4	Fixed in–

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership A hidden-group probe-response entry borrows its beacon IEs from the group's beacon entry. cfg80211_update_assoc_bss_entry() can pass such an entry to cfg80211_update_known_bss() when merging scan entries after a channel switch. Copying the borrowed beacon_ies into the associated entry gives the same allocation two owners. Releasing the group's beacon entry can then leave the associated entry pointing to freed IEs, which are freed again when that entry is released. Skip beacon IE replacement when the source entry belongs to a hidden group. Preserve probe-response processing, the subsequent metadata updates, and the existing rejection path for conflicting hidden beacon updates.

References

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