CVE-2026-46248: wifi: ath12k: clear stale link mapping of ahvif->links_map

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-06-03 · updated 2026-07-22

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: clear stale link mapping of ahvif->links_map When an arvif is initialized in non-AP STA mode but MLO connection preparation fails before the arvif is created (arvif->is_created remains false), the error path attempts to delete all links. However, link deletion only executes when arvif->is_created is true. As a result, ahvif retains a stale entry of arvif that is initialized but not created. When a new arvif is initialized with the same link id, this stale mapping triggers the following WARN_ON. WARNING: drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c:4271 at ath12k_mac_op_change_vif_links+0x140/0x180 [ath12k], CPU#3: wpa_supplicant/275 Call trace: ath12k_mac_op_change_vif_links+0x140/0x180 [ath12k] (P) drv_change_vif_links+0xbc/0x1a4 [mac80211] ieee80211_vif_update_links+0x54c/0x6a0 [mac80211] ieee80211_vif_set_links+0x40/0x70 [mac80211] ieee80211_prep_connection+0x84/0x450 [mac80211] ieee80211_mgd_auth+0x200/0x480 [mac80211] ieee80211_auth+0x14/0x20 [mac80211] cfg80211_mlme_auth+0x90/0xf0 [cfg80211] nl80211_authenticate+0x32c/0x380 [cfg80211] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xc8/0x134 Fix this issue by unassigning the link vif and clearing ahvif->links_map if arvif is only initialized but not created. Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.5-01651-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 6.15 before 6.18.14; from 6.19 before 6.19.4 — fixed in 6.18.14, 6.19.4

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 6.18.14, 6.19.4. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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