Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: ath12k: fix NULL deref in change_sta_links for unready link
_ieee80211_set_active_links() calls _ieee80211_link_use_channel() for
each newly-added link and WARN_ON_ONCE()s if it fails. The call uses
assign_on_failure=true, which allows mac80211 to continue despite
driver failures, but when a mac80211-level channel validation fails
(e.g., combinations check, DFS, or no available radio),
drv_assign_vif_chanctx() is never reached. Since ath12k_mac_vdev_create()
is only called from that path, arvif->is_created remains false and
arvif->ar remains NULL for the failed link.
The subsequent drv_change_sta_links() call reaches
ath12k_mac_op_change_sta_links(), which allocates an arsta and sets
ahsta->links_map |= BIT(link_id) for the broken link before checking
whether the link is ready. When the vdev was never created, only
station_add() is skipped, but the link remains in links_map.
Any subsequent operation iterating links_map and dereferencing arvif->ar
without a NULL check will crash. Two observed examples are NULL deref in
ath12k_mac_ml_station_remove() on disconnect and in ath12k_mac_op_set_key()
when wpa_supplicant installs PTK keys.
BUG: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0x00000000
pc : ath12k_mac_station_post_remove+0x40/0xe8 [ath12k]
Call trace:
ath12k_mac_station_post_remove+0x40/0xe8 [ath12k]
ath12k_mac_op_sta_state+0xb60/0x1720 [ath12k]
drv_sta_state+0x100/0xbd8 [mac80211]
__sta_info_destroy_part2+0x148/0x178 [mac80211]
ieee80211_set_disassoc+0x500/0x678 [mac80211]
BUG: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0x00000000
pc : ath12k_mac_op_set_key+0x1f8/0x2c0 [ath12k]
Call trace:
ath12k_mac_op_set_key+0x1f8/0x2c0 [ath12k]
drv_set_key+0x70/0x100 [mac80211]
ieee80211_key_enable_hw_accel+0x78/0x260 [mac80211]
ieee80211_add_key+0x16c/0x2ac [mac80211]
nl80211_new_key+0x138/0x280 [cfg80211]
Fix this by checking arvif->is_created before calling
ath12k_mac_alloc_assign_link_sta(). This prevents the broken link from
entering links_map, so all subsequent operations iterating the bitmap
are protected. The reliability of arvif->is_created across all error
paths is ensured by the preceding patch.
Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.1.c5-00302-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-1.115823.3
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.14 | 6.18.40 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 7.1.5-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-38.38 | USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws +1 | 7.0.0-1014.14 | USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure | 7.0.0-1017.17 | USN-8888-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde | 7.0.0-1016.16 | USN-8888-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1008.9 | USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1015.15 | USN-8889-1, USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia | 7.0.0-1025.26 | USN-9043-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-bos | 7.0.0-2022.23 | USN-9003-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 7.0.0-1013.13 | USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1023.23 | USN-9021-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv +1 | 7.0.0-38.38.1 | USN-8887-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-7.0 +1 | 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 | USN-8887-3, USN-8887-2 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1 | USN-8888-2 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1 | USN-8888-2 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4 | USN-8887-3 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-7.0 | 7.0.0-1024.25~24.04.1 | USN-9003-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle-7.0 | 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 | USN-8887-3 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +27 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 10
- USN-9043-1 linux-nvidia vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2852 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 11, 2026
- USN-9021-1 linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 11, 2026
- USN-8887-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-ibm, linux-oracle, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-9003-1 linux-nvidia-7.0, linux-nvidia-bos vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8888-2 linux-azure-7.0, linux-azure-fde-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8889-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8887-3 linux-gcp-7.0, linux-hwe-7.0, linux-oracle-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8887-2 linux-aws-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8888-1 linux-azure, linux-azure-fde vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026