High [CVE-2026-68198] Linux kernel: Use-after-free in ath6kl Wi-Fi driver leading to denial of service
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-68198.
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Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath6kl: fix use-after-free in aggr_reset_state() The aggr_reset_state() function uses timer_delete() (non-synchronous) for the aggregation timer before proceeding to delete TID state and before the structure is freed by callers like aggr_module_destroy().
If the timer callback (aggr_timeout) is executing when aggr_reset_state() is called, the callback will continue to access aggr_conn fields like rx_tid[] and stat[] which may be freed immediately after by kfree(aggr_info->aggr_conn) in aggr_module_destroy().
Additionally, the timer callback can re-arm itself via mod_timer() while aggr_reset_state() is running, creating a more complex race condition. Use timer_delete_sync() instead to ensure any running timer callback has completed before returning.
This occurs because a non-synchronous timer deletion allows a timer callback (`aggr_timeout`) to access memory that has already been freed, creating a race condition. An attacker could potentially exploit this to cause system instability or a denial of service.
This vulnerability could allow a local attacker to cause a denial of service by triggering a race condition in the aggregation state reset function. Exploitation requires the presence and active use of specific Qualcomm Atheros wireless hardware.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 30 days ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 30 days ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- To mitigate this issue, prevent the `ath6kl` kernel module from loading. This can be achieved by creating a blacklist file. 1. Create a file named `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ath6kl.conf` with the following content: ``` blacklist ath6kl install ath6kl /bin/true ``` 2. Regenerate the initramfs to ensure the blacklist is applied during boot: For RHEL 7: ```bash dracut -f -v ``` For RHEL 8 and 9: ```bash dracut -f --regenerate-all ``` 3. Reboot the system for the changes to take effect. This mitigation will disable functionality provided by the `ath6kl` driver, which may impact systems relying on specific Qualcomm Atheros wireless chipsets.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 30 days ago·verify at source
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