VulnerabilityPublished 23 Oct 2026

CVE-2026-98936: Linux kernel · wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · fixed in c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:18 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 c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8, c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8, 60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc +2

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 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 ≥ d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d, < c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8	Fixed in c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d, < c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8	Fixed in c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d, < 60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc	Fixed in 60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d, < 9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853	Fixed in 9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d, < 7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272	Fixed in 7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272
LinuxLinux	Affected =5.6	Fixed in–

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start When (multiple) hw restart occurs, we end up in a situation where we cannot accept new stations / mesh peers. This seems to be the 'num_stations' in 'struct ath11k' that did not get reset properly in this case. In ath11k_mac_op_start(), it was indeed the only accounting var that did not get reset so let's clear it too. This avoids problems like those: [1248828.088023] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 12281 at net/mac80211/util.c:1682 ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0 [1248828.088115] Call trace: [1248828.088116] ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0 (P) [1248828.088119] ieee80211_reconfig+0x774/0x1438 [1248828.088123] ieee80211_restart_work+0x10c/0x178 [1248828.088127] process_one_work+0x178/0x3c0 [1248828.088130] worker_thread+0x280/0x440 [1248828.088133] kthread+0xe0/0xf8 [1248828.088137] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 [1248828.088141] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- [1248836.686604] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: refusing to associate station: too many connected already (128) [1248836.686609] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: Failed to add station: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx for VDEV: 1 Tested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.9.0.1-01977-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

References

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