wifi: ath12k: fix NULL deref in change_sta_links for unready link

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Summary

CVECVE-2026-74366
StatePUBLISHED
AssignerLinux
Source PriorityCVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback
Published2026-08-15 06:22:38 UTC
Updated2026-08-15 06:22:38 UTC
DescriptionIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: fix NULL deref in change_sta_links for unready link _ieee80211_set_active_links() calls _ieee80211_link_use_channel() for each newly-added link and WARN_ON_ONCE()s if it fails. The call uses assign_on_failure=true, which allows mac80211 to continue despite driver failures, but when a mac80211-level channel validation fails (e.g., combinations check, DFS, or no available radio), drv_assign_vif_chanctx() is never reached. Since ath12k_mac_vdev_create() is only called from that path, arvif->is_created remains false and arvif->ar remains NULL for the failed link. The subsequent drv_change_sta_links() call reaches ath12k_mac_op_change_sta_links(), which allocates an arsta and sets ahsta->links_map |= BIT(link_id) for the broken link before checking whether the link is ready. When the vdev was never created, only station_add() is skipped, but the link remains in links_map. Any subsequent operation iterating links_map and dereferencing arvif->ar without a NULL check will crash. Two observed examples are NULL deref in ath12k_mac_ml_station_remove() on disconnect and in ath12k_mac_op_set_key() when wpa_supplicant installs PTK keys. BUG: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0x00000000 pc : ath12k_mac_station_post_remove+0x40/0xe8 [ath12k] Call trace: ath12k_mac_station_post_remove+0x40/0xe8 [ath12k] ath12k_mac_op_sta_state+0xb60/0x1720 [ath12k] drv_sta_state+0x100/0xbd8 [mac80211] __sta_info_destroy_part2+0x148/0x178 [mac80211] ieee80211_set_disassoc+0x500/0x678 [mac80211] BUG: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0x00000000 pc : ath12k_mac_op_set_key+0x1f8/0x2c0 [ath12k] Call trace: ath12k_mac_op_set_key+0x1f8/0x2c0 [ath12k] drv_set_key+0x70/0x100 [mac80211] ieee80211_key_enable_hw_accel+0x78/0x260 [mac80211] ieee80211_add_key+0x16c/0x2ac [mac80211] nl80211_new_key+0x138/0x280 [cfg80211] Fix this by checking arvif->is_created before calling ath12k_mac_alloc_assign_link_sta(). This prevents the broken link from entering links_map, so all subsequent operations iterating the bitmap are protected. The reliability of arvif->is_created across all error paths is ensured by the preceding patch. Tested-on: WCN7850 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.HMT.1.1.c5-00302-QCAHMTSWPL_V1.0_V2.0_SILICONZ-1.115823.3

Vendor Declared Affected Products

SourceVendorProductVersionPlatforms
CNA Linux Linux affected a27fa6148dacc79451e523c2694bc0a673b1be05 cfcea221db933295bf2cd75a7f80d441c7a51e28 git Not specified
CNA Linux Linux affected a27fa6148dacc79451e523c2694bc0a673b1be05 5f5be2aa3b6d730c51dd4f8b432f2ad72823e63f git Not specified
CNA Linux Linux affected a27fa6148dacc79451e523c2694bc0a673b1be05 47809a7c8348bc4a332ccc26a37c7145a5f609f8 git Not specified
CNA Linux Linux affected 6.14 Not specified
CNA Linux Linux unaffected 6.14 semver Not specified
CNA Linux Linux unaffected 6.18.40 6.18.* semver Not specified
CNA Linux Linux unaffected 7.1.5 7.1.* semver Not specified
CNA Linux Linux unaffected 7.2-rc1 * original_commit_for_fix Not specified

References

ReferenceSourceLinkTags
git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f5be2aa3b6d730c51dd4f8b432f2ad72823e63f 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfcea221db933295bf2cd75a7f80d441c7a51e28 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org/stable/c/47809a7c8348bc4a332ccc26a37c7145a5f609f8 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 git.kernel.org
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