CVE-2026-23444

/* * Conceptual Proof of Concept for CVE-2026-23444 * This snippet demonstrates the logic flow that triggers the vulnerability. * It requires a system with a vulnerable wireless driver (e.g., ath9k, mt76). */ #include <linux/module.h> #include <net/mac80211.h> // Simulated trigger function to illustrate the TX_DROP path void simulate_tx_failure(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, struct sk_buff *skb) { struct ieee80211_tx_info *info = IEEE80211_SKB_CB(skb); // The vulnerability occurs when ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() fails // specifically at the first error path (TX_DROP) without freeing the skb. // In the vulnerable code: // if (ieee80211_tx_prepare(...)) // return TX_DROP; // skb is NOT freed here (Bug) // The caller (e.g., ath9k) would then attempt to free the skb: // if (ret != TX_SUCCESS) // kfree_skb(skb); // Double free if fixed in function, leak if not. printk(KERN_INFO "Attempting to trigger CVE-2026-23444 TX_DROP path\n"); // Actual exploitation requires specific hardware interaction to force // the TX_DROP state within the mac80211 subsystem. } int init_module(void) { printk(KERN_INFO "CVE-2026-23444 PoC module loaded\n"); return 0; } void cleanup_module(void) { printk(KERN_INFO "CVE-2026-23444 PoC module unloaded\n"); } MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-23444", "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "published": "2026-04-03T16:16:28.810", "lastModified": "2026-04-27T14:16:33.150", "vulnStatus": "Modified", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure\n\nieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them\nfree the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning\nTX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the\nfragmentation check both do.\n\nAdd kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent,\nand remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76,\nmac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free.\n\nDocument the skb ownership guarantee in the function's kdoc."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 7.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 5.9}, {"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "baseScore": 5.5, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "NONE", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 3.6}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-401"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "3.13.1", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.20", "matchCriteriaId": "FF3A2276-F204-45D0-888F-78B1900D361C"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.19", "versionEndExcluding": "6.19.10", "matchCriteriaId": "96D34333-38BE-4414-9E79-6EB764329581"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.13:-:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "0F72A71E-B6B2-40F2-A21D-BF7CE1514976"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F253B622-8837-4245-BCE5-A7BF8FC76A16"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "4AE85AD8-4641-4E7C-A2F4-305E2CD9EE64"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F666C8D8-6538-46D4-B318-87610DE64C34"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "02259FDA-961B-47BC-AE7F-93D7EC6E90C2"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "58A9FEFF-C040-420D-8F0A-BFDAAA1DF258"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "1D2315C0-D46F-4F85-9754-F9E5E11374A6"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "512EE3A8-A590-4501-9A94-5D4B268D6138"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06e769dddcbeb3baf2ce346273b53dd61fdbecf4", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4d27acafaeab478fd24f79ad6e593a892828b9", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50f1b690b4868923fbd242298def2fb88662f108", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5ad6ab61cbd89afdb60881f6274f74328af3ee9", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77b51bcee7be2bb686b5f7a2d4a1921e4bdb9f4", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"}]}}