Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2026-23396: wifi: mac80211: fix NULL deref in mesh_matches_local()

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.12% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 0a4da176ae4b4e075a19c00d3e269cfd5e05a813, 14a4fd13657a3f2489db6566f081adfb27a49c64, 44699c6cdfce80a0f296b54ae9314461e3e41b3d; azl3 kernel 6.6.126.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.130.1-1; cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0 Release Notes.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 0a4da176ae4b4e075a19c00d3e269cfd5e05a813, 14a4fd13657a3f2489db6566f081adfb27a49c64, 44699c6cdfce80a0f296b54ae9314461e3e41b3d; azl3 kernel 6.6.126.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.130.1-1; cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0 Release Notes or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fix NULL deref in mesh_matches_local() mesh_matches_local() unconditionally dereferences ie->mesh_config to compare mesh configuration parameters. When called from mesh_rx_csa_frame(), the parsed action-frame elements may not contain a Mesh Configuration IE, leaving ie->mesh_config NULL and triggering a kernel NULL pointer dereference. The other two callers are already safe: - ieee80211_mesh_rx_bcn_presp() checks !elems->mesh_config before calling mesh_matches_local() - mesh_plink_get_event() is only reached through mesh_process_plink_frame(), which checks !elems->mesh_config, too mesh_rx_csa_frame() is the only caller that passes raw parsed elements to mesh_matches_local() without guarding mesh_config. An adjacent attacker can exploit this by sending a crafted CSA action frame that includes a valid Mesh ID IE but omits the Mesh Configuration IE, crashing the kernel. The captured crash log: Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address ... KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000000-0x0000000000000007] Workqueue: events_unbound cfg80211_wiphy_work [...] Call Trace: <TASK> ? __pfx_mesh_matches_local (net/mac80211/mesh.c:65) ieee80211_mesh_rx_queued_mgmt (net/mac80211/mesh.c:1686) [...] ieee80211_iface_work (net/mac80211/iface.c:1754 net/mac80211/iface.c:1802) [...] cfg80211_wiphy_work (net/wireless/core.c:426) process_one_work (net/kernel/workqueue.c:3280) ? assign_work (net/kernel/workqueue.c:1219) worker_thread (net/kernel/workqueue.c:3352) ? __pfx_worker_thread (net/kernel/workqueue.c:3385) kthread (net/kernel/kthread.c:436) [...] ret_from_fork_asm (net/arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:255) </TASK> This patch adds a NULL check for ie->mesh_config at the top of mesh_matches_local() to return false early when the Mesh Configuration IE is absent.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Mar 26, 2026
Updated
Oct 15, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 1th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2026-23396

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits instantly.

Your free account also gets you

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

  • Stack alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for linux records

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel2.6.26.1 and later · before 5.10.253
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.203
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.167
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.6.130
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.78
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.18.20
  • linux linux kernel6.19 and later · before 6.19.10
  • linux linux kernel2.6.26
  • linux linux kernel7.0

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 2.6.26affected
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before 14a4fd13657a3f2489db6566f081adfb27a49c64affected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before 74de6fa472b03bc8cde0a081484e9960bcbda568affected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before c1e3f2416fb27c816ce96d747d3e784e31f4d95caffected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before 0a4da176ae4b4e075a19c00d3e269cfd5e05a813affected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before a90279e7f7ea0b7e923a1c5ebee9a6b78b6d1004affected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before 44699c6cdfce80a0f296b54ae9314461e3e41b3daffected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before 7c55a3deaf7eaaafa2546f8de7fed19382a0a116affected · git
    • 2e3c8736820bf72a8ad10721c7e31d36d4fa7790 and later · before c73bb9a2d33bf81f6eecaa0f474b6c6dbe9855bdaffected · git
    • before 2.6.26not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.170-16.1.170-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.85-16.12.85-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.19.10-16.19.10-1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kernel-defaultbefore 4.12.14-122.317.14.12.14-122.317.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_84before 1-8.7.11-8.7.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSkernel-sourcebefore 4.12.14-122.317.14.12.14-122.317.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSkernel-symsbefore 4.12.14-122.317.14.12.14-122.317.1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-23395Mar 25, 2026 · Bluetooth: L2CAP: Fix accepting multiple L2CAP_ECRED_CONN_REQ
    35Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-31788Mar 25, 2026 · xen/privcmd: restrict usage in unprivileged domU
    32Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2026-23397Mar 26, 2026 · nfnetlink_osf: validate individual option lengths in fingerprints
    28Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux0a4da176ae4b4e075a19c00d3e269cfd5e05a813Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux14a4fd13657a3f2489db6566f081adfb27a49c64Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux44699c6cdfce80a0f296b54ae9314461e3e41b3dVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux74de6fa472b03bc8cde0a081484e9960bcbda568Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux7c55a3deaf7eaaafa2546f8de7fed19382a0a116Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxa90279e7f7ea0b7e923a1c5ebee9a6b78b6d1004Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxc1e3f2416fb27c816ce96d747d3e784e31f4d95cVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxc73bb9a2d33bf81f6eecaa0f474b6c6dbe9855bdVendor (CNA)
azl3 kernel 6.6.126.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.06.6.130.1-1 · CBL-Mariner ReleasesMicrosoft (MSRC)
cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0Release NotesMicrosoft (MSRC)
debian:linux6.1.170-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default4.12.14-122.317.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source4.12.14-122.317.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSPackage registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-syms4.12.14-122.317.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSPackage registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_841-8.7.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (8 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records