CVE-2026-68414 wifi: cfg80211: cancel sched scan results work on unregister
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel WiFi subsystem allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via race conditions during device unregistration.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-68414?
CVE-2026-68414 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: cfg80211: cancel sched scan results work on unregister
cfg80211_sched_scan_results() can queue rdev->sched_scan_res_wk from a driver result notification while a scheduled scan request is present. The work callback recovers the containing cfg80211_registered_device and then locks the wiphy and walks the scheduled-scan request list.
wiphy_unregister() already makes the wiphy unreachable and drains rdev work items before cfg80211_dev_free() can release the object, but it does not drain sched_scan_res_wk. A queued or running result work item can therefore cross the unregister/free boundary and access freed rdev state.
The buggy scenario involves two paths, with each column showing the order within that path:
scheduled-scan result path: unregister/free path: 1. cfg80211_sched_scan_results() 1. interface teardown stops and queues rdev->sched_scan_res_wk. removes the scheduled scan request. 2. cfg80211_wq starts the work 2. wiphy_unregister() drains other item and recovers rdev. rdev work items. 3. The worker locks rdev->wiphy 3. cfg80211_dev_free() destroys and and walks rdev state. frees rdev.
Cancel sched_scan_res_wk in wiphy_unregister() alongside the other rdev work items. cancel_work_sync() removes a pending result notification and waits for an already running callback, so cfg80211_dev_free() cannot free rdev while this work item is still active.
Validation reproduced this kernel report: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in cfg80211_sched_scan_results_wk+0x4a6/0x530 Workqueue: cfg80211 cfg80211_sched_scan_results_wk [cfg80211] Read of size 8 Call trace: dump_stack_lvl+0x66/0xa0 print_report+0xce/0x630 cfg80211_sched_scan_results_wk+0x4a6/0x530 srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 __virt_addr_valid+0x224/0x430 kasan_report+0xac/0xe0 lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0xea/0x1a0 process_one_work+0x8d0/0x18f0 (kernel/workqueue.c:3212) lock_is_held_type+0x8f/0x100 worker_thread+0x5ad/0xfd0 __kthread_parkme+0xc6/0x200 kthread+0x31e/0x410 trace_hardirqs_on+0x1a/0x170 ret_from_fork+0x576/0x810 __switch_to+0x57e/0xe20 __switch_to_asm+0x33/0x70 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68414?
How do I fix CVE-2026-68414?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-68414 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68414 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-68414, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68414, GHSA-h288-98gp-jxq9, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68414.