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

wifi: mac80211: avoid WARN in set_bitrate_mask when sdata not in driver

ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() checks if the interface is running via
ieee80211_sdata_running(), but it does not check if the interface is
still present in the driver.

When sdata is running but IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER is not set, the
call reaches drv_set_bitrate_mask() in driver-ops.h which hits

wlan1: Failed check-sdata-in-driver check, flags: 0x0
WARNING: net/mac80211/driver-ops.h:884 at drv_set_bitrate_mask

Syzkaller triggers this via wext SIOCSIWRATE ioctl. The Call Trace shows
wext_ioctl_dispatch() in wext-core.c dispatching the ioctl, calling
ioctl_standard_call() for SIOCSIWRATE, which calls cfg80211_wext_siwrate()
in wext-compat.c. That builds a bitrate mask and calls
rdev_set_bitrate_mask() which ends up in ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() in
cfg.c. The interface is marked running via SDATA_STATE_RUNNING but
flags is 0, so check_sdata_in_driver() fails.

When the interface is being torn down, or when wext ioctl is issued
during interface bringup before drv_add_interface() sets IN_DRIVER, the
running check passes while IN_DRIVER is clear.

Check IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER in ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() before
calling the driver, returning -ENETDOWN. This avoids the WARN_ONCE in
driver-ops.h and matches other cfg.c operations that bail early when not
in driver.

This change should be safe because wiphy mutex is held in
cfg80211_wext_siwrate() via guard(wiphy), and IN_DRIVER is set/cleared
under RTNL and wiphy paths in drv_add_interface() and
drv_remove_interface() in driver-ops.c, so the check is race-free
against driver add/remove. Returning -ENETDOWN is the same error other
not-running paths use and does not introduce new locking.

[also add second syzbot report]

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Linux Kernel Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: avoid WARN in set_bitrate_mask when sdata not in driver ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() checks if the interface is running via ieee80211_sdata_running(), but it does not check if the interface is still present in the driver. When sdata is running but IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER is not set, the call reaches drv_set_bitrate_mask() in driver-ops.h which hits wlan1: Failed check-sdata-in-driver check, flags: 0x0 WARNING: net/mac80211/driver-ops.h:884 at drv_set_bitrate_mask Syzkaller triggers this via wext SIOCSIWRATE ioctl. The Call Trace shows wext_ioctl_dispatch() in wext-core.c dispatching the ioctl, calling ioctl_standard_call() for SIOCSIWRATE, which calls cfg80211_wext_siwrate() in wext-compat.c. That builds a bitrate mask and calls rdev_set_bitrate_mask() which ends up in ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() in cfg.c. The interface is marked running via SDATA_STATE_RUNNING but flags is 0, so check_sdata_in_driver() fails. When the interface is being torn down, or when wext ioctl is issued during interface bringup before drv_add_interface() sets IN_DRIVER, the running check passes while IN_DRIVER is clear. Check IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER in ieee80211_set_bitrate_mask() before calling the driver, returning -ENETDOWN. This avoids the WARN_ONCE in driver-ops.h and matches other cfg.c operations that bail early when not in driver. This change should be safe because wiphy mutex is held in cfg80211_wext_siwrate() via guard(wiphy), and IN_DRIVER is set/cleared under RTNL and wiphy paths in drv_add_interface() and drv_remove_interface() in driver-ops.c, so the check is race-free against driver add/remove. Returning -ENETDOWN is the same error other not-running paths use and does not introduce new locking. [also add second syzbot report]
Title wifi: mac80211: avoid WARN in set_bitrate_mask when sdata not in driver
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-14T13:27:41.192Z

Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.347Z

Link: CVE-2026-98406

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-14T14:17:51.710

Modified: 2026-10-14T14:17:51.710

Link: CVE-2026-98406

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.