CVE-2026-97442 wifi: ath11k: fix invalid data access in ath11k_dp_rx_h_undecap_nwifi
A flaw in the ath11k Wi-Fi driver allows invalid data access leading to memory corruption and potential code execution or system crash.
- 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-2026-97442?
CVE-2026-97442 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Sep 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: ath11k: fix invalid data access in ath11k_dp_rx_h_undecap_nwifi
In certain cases, hardware might provide packets with a length greater than the maximum native Wi-Fi header length. This can lead to accessing and modifying fields in the header within the ath11k_dp_rx_h_undecap_nwifi() function for the DP_RX_DECAP_TYPE_NATIVE_WIFI decap type and potentially result in invalid data access and memory corruption.
Kernel stack is corrupted in: ath11k_dp_rx_h_undecap+0x6b0/0x6b0 [ath11k] Call trace: ath11k_dp_rx_h_mpdu+0x0/0x2e8 [ath11k] ath11k_dp_rx_h_mpdu+0x1e0/0x2e8 [ath11k] ath11k_dp_rx_wbm_err+0x1e0/0x450 [ath11k] ath11k_dp_rx_process_wbm_err+0x2fc/0x460 [ath11k] ath11k_dp_service_srng+0x2e0/0x348 [ath11k]
Add a sanity check before processing the SKB to prevent invalid data access in the undecap native Wi-Fi function for the DP_RX_DECAP_TYPE_NATIVE_WIFI decap type.
This adapted from the discussion/patch of the ath12k driver [1].
Tested-on: WCN6855 hw2.1 PCI WLAN.HSP.1.1-04685-QCAHSPSWPL_V1_V2_SILICONZ_IOE-1
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97442?
How do I fix CVE-2026-97442?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-97442 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97442 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-104051, BELL-CVE-2026-97442, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97442, GHSA-jg3c-6f6j-vm3c, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97442.