In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure

ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them
free the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning
TX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the
fragmentation check both do.

Add kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent,
and remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76,
mac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free.

Document the skb ownership guarantee in the function's kdoc.
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-1341
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-415

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() has three error paths, but only two of them free the skb. The first error path (ieee80211_tx_prepare() returning TX_DROP) does not free it, while invoke_tx_handlers() failure and the fragmentation check both do. Add kfree_skb() to the first error path so all three are consistent, and remove the now-redundant frees in callers (ath9k, mt76, mac80211_hwsim) to avoid double-free. Document the skb ownership guarantee in the function's kdoc.
Title wifi: mac80211: always free skb on ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb() failure
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-03T15:15:28.464Z

Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:37:46.019Z

Link: CVE-2026-23444

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-04-03T16:16:28.810

Modified: 2026-04-03T16:16:28.810

Link: CVE-2026-23444

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-04-03T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-23444 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-04-03T21:16:07Z

Weaknesses