CVE-2026-98311 wifi: virt_wifi: don't transfer operstate before register
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virt_wifi driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via improper device registration handling.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-98311?
CVE-2026-98311 is a high-severity 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: virt_wifi: don't transfer operstate before register
virt_wifi_newlink() calls netif_stacked_transfer_operstate() before register_netdevice(). If the lower device is dormant, that queues the new netdev on lweventlist while it is still uninitialized. If registration fails after that, for example because of an invalid name such as "bad/name", free_netdev() immediately frees the object. A later linkwatch_fire_event() then use-after-frees the list entry.
Move the transfer to after netdev_upper_dev_link(), as macvlan and ipvlan already do.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98311?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98311?
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-2026-98311 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98311 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-106443, BELL-CVE-2026-98311, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98311, GHSA-f5fm-f6q9-vwv9, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98311.