CVE-2026-97492 Linux CVE debrief

Who should care

Linux kernel maintainers, administrators, and users of systems with affected kernel versions should verify and apply patches. This vulnerability could potentially impact system stability if not addressed.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-97492 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mac80211 that could lead to driver issues if not properly patched. Linux kernel maintainers, administrators, and users should verify and apply patches to prevent potential system stability impacts.

• Verify Linux kernel versions and apply patches to prevent potential driver issues.
• Review system configurations for NAN reconfiguration to ensure proper cleanup.

Technical summary

The Linux kernel's mac80211 had a vulnerability involving NAN reconfiguration failure. If reconfiguration failed, ieee80211_handle_reconfig_failure was called unnecessarily, which could lead to interfaces not being properly cleaned up. This might cause drivers to have dangling pointers to objects like stations and links. The fix involves warning in such cases instead of calling ieee80211_handle_reconfig_failure.

Defensive priority

Verify and apply patches for Linux kernel mac80211 to prevent potential driver issues.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify Linux kernel version and apply patches for mac80211.
• Review system configurations for NAN reconfiguration.
• Monitor for driver issues related to interface cleanup.
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified.
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review. Verify Linux kernel versions and apply patches to prevent potential driver issues. Review system configurations for NAN re
• technicalSummary

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability and its resolution in the Linux kernel. References include kernel.org stable commits. The vulnerability was introduced in the Linux kernel's mac80211 due to improper handling of NAN reconfiguration failures. This could lead to interfaces not being properly cleaned up, potentially causing drivers to have dangling pointers to objects like stations and links. The fix involves warning in such cases instead of calling ieee80211_handle_reconfig_failure. The CVE record was on

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.