CVE-2026-72004
wifi: mac80211: fix memory leak in ieee80211_register_hw()
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fix memory leak in ieee80211_register_hw() If kmemdup() fails while copying supported band structures, the error path jumps to fail_rate. This skips rate_control_deinitialize() and leaks the initialized local->rate_ctrl. Fix this by adding a fail_band label that shares the rate-control cleanup path before falling through to the remaining teardown. The bug was first flagged by an experimental analysis tool we are developing for kernel memory-management bugs while analyzing v6.13-rc1. The tool is still under development and is not yet publicly available. Manual inspection confirms that the bug is still present in v7.1-rc7. An x86_64 allyesconfig build showed no new warnings. As we do not have a suitable mac80211 device/driver combination to test with, no runtime testing was able to be performed.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 15, 2026, 6:20 a.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 17, 2026, 6:17 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Solution
- Update the Linux kernel to the latest version.
- Apply the patch for the ieee80211_register_hw function.
- Ensure rate_control_deinitialize is called.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-72004.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-72004 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-72004
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-72004 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-72004 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Modified by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 17, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Changed Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.20'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '4.20', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.10.261', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.10.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.15.212', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.15.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.1.178', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.145', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc4', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.20'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '4.20', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.10.261', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.10.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.15.212', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.15.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.1.178', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.145', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] -
New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 15, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': 'a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df', 'lessThan': '95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.20'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '4.20', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.10.261', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.10.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.15.212', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.15.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.1.178', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.145', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc4', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['net/mac80211/main.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: fix memory leak in ieee80211_register_hw() If kmemdup() fails while copying supported band structures, the error path jumps to fail_rate. This skips rate_control_deinitialize() and leaks the initialized local->rate_ctrl. Fix this by adding a fail_band label that shares the rate-control cleanup path before falling through to the remaining teardown. The bug was first flagged by an experimental analysis tool we are developing for kernel memory-management bugs while analyzing v6.13-rc1. The tool is still under development and is not yet publicly available. Manual inspection confirms that the bug is still present in v7.1-rc7. An x86_64 allyesconfig build showed no new warnings. As we do not have a suitable mac80211 device/driver combination to test with, no runtime testing was able to be performed. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf