CVE-2026-23185
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's iwlwifi driver. This vulnerability occurs because a specific work item, mlo_scan_start_wk, is not properly canceled when a network device disconnects. This oversight can lead to a use-after-free condition, where the system attempts to access memory that has already been released. A local attacker with high privileges could potentially exploit this to cause a system crash (denial of service) or execute unauthorized code.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the `iwlwifi` kernel module from loading by creating a modprobe configuration file. This will disable Wi-Fi functionality on the system.
Create a file named `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-iwlwifi.conf` with the following content:
blacklist iwlwifi
After creating the file, a system reboot is required for the changes to take effect.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 6.7 | 7.8 | 6.7 |
| Attack Vector | Local | Local | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | Low | Low |
| Privileges Required | High | Low | High |
| User Interaction | None | None | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | High | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | High | High |
| Availability Impact | High | High | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Resource Consumption (Other); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
An attacker that can influence the allocation of resources that are not properly released could deplete the available resource pool and prevent all other processes from accessing the same type of resource. Frequently-affected resources include memory, CPU, disk space, power or battery, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
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