CVE-2026-98160
staging: rtl8723bs: fix mismatched free of HalData in rtw_sdio_if1_init()
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8723bs: fix mismatched free of HalData in rtw_sdio_if1_init() padapter->HalData is allocated via vzalloc(), but incorrectly freed using kfree() in the rtw_sdio_if1_init() error path. Using kfree() to release this vmalloc-backed buffer can lead to memory corruption. Use rtw_hal_data_deinit() to pair the free correctly and free HalData with vfree(). The bug was first flagged by an experimental static analysis tool we are developing for kernel memory-management bugs. Manual inspection confirms that the issue is still present in current mainline. An x86_64 allyesconfig build showed no new warnings. As we do not have suitable RTL8723BS SDIO hardware to test with, no runtime testing was able to be performed.
INFO
Published Date :
Sept. 25, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Sept. 30, 2026, 2:10 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Solution
- Use rtw_hal_data_deinit() to pair the free correctly.
- Free HalData with vfree() in the error path.
- Apply the vendor-provided patch to fix memory management.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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CVE-2026-98160.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
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weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-98160 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
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approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-98160
weaknesses.
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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.
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New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Sep. 25, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8723bs: fix mismatched free of HalData in rtw_sdio_if1_init() padapter->HalData is allocated via vzalloc(), but incorrectly freed using kfree() in the rtw_sdio_if1_init() error path. Using kfree() to release this vmalloc-backed buffer can lead to memory corruption. Use rtw_hal_data_deinit() to pair the free correctly and free HalData with vfree(). The bug was first flagged by an experimental static analysis tool we are developing for kernel memory-management bugs. Manual inspection confirms that the issue is still present in current mainline. An x86_64 allyesconfig build showed no new warnings. As we do not have suitable RTL8723BS SDIO hardware to test with, no runtime testing was able to be performed. Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/98xxx/CVE-2026-98160.json">CVE-2026-98160</a> Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/264676418b726baca7be49171e306b6aa05cceb0 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/423574feaed192063ef0cd0813fb85425f39e539 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4520d673d49dabfd42c008a33889251025f7d6d5 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c017ab2b0e1b60b5be94636c94720347213d78b Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/737c928ff5092d7e55128a232c231248fc993777 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/911190f0b9511c3c81f2f2484414c1ae26f636b3 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6158333d630a1b21d8914feaf77a6f5deb185d9 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ff6d1ba247b5c62bdb678f1069abc86ad88a1402