# CVE-2026-98194: wifi: libertas_tf: fix UAF in lbtf_free_adapter()

> A use-after-free in the Linux libertas_tf Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute code via race conditions during adapter removal.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-105978, BELL-CVE-2026-98194, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98194, GHSA-h7cr-x88p-mw28, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98194

## What is CVE-2026-98194?

CVE-2026-98194 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 6 Oct 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: libertas_tf: fix UAF in lbtf_free_adapter()

lbtf_free_adapter() calls lbtf_free_cmd_buffer() to free the command
buffers before calling timer_delete_sync() to wait for the command
timer callback.  If the timer callback (command_timer_fn) is already
running when lbtf_free_cmd_buffer() frees the command array, the
callback dereferences priv->cur_cmd->cmdbuf which points to freed
memory.

Swap the order so that timer_delete_sync() runs first, ensuring any
in-flight callback has completed before the command buffers are freed.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98194?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98194?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98194 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98194 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98194 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 6 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98194 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98194/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98194/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98194
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98194
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98194

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98194/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.