CVE-2026-64176
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's iwlwifi driver, affecting older Intel wireless devices. This vulnerability arises from incorrect handling of transmit (TX) rates, specifically when the driver attempts to set these rates. An attacker could potentially trigger a firmware assert or crash, leading to a denial of service (DoS) for the affected wireless functionality.
Mitigation
To prevent the `iwlwifi` kernel module from loading, which disables Intel wireless functionality, create a blacklist rule.
1. Create the file `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-iwlwifi.conf` with the following content:
blacklist iwlwifi2. Regenerate the initramfs to apply the changes:
install iwlwifi /bin/true
bashFor systems using `mkinitrd`:
dracut -f -v
bash3. A system reboot is required for this change to take effect.
mkinitrd -f -v /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r).img $(uname -r)
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 | 7.3 | N/A | 8.1 |
| Attack Vector | Adjacent Network | N/A | Adjacent Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | None |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
An attacker that can trigger an assert statement can still lead to a denial of service if the relevant code can be triggered by an attacker, and if the scope of the assert() extends beyond the attacker's own session.
Frequently Asked Questions
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