{"id":"CVE-2026-98936","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start\n\nWhen (multiple) hw restart occurs, we end up in a situation where we\ncannot accept new stations / mesh peers. This seems to be the\n'num_stations' in 'struct ath11k' that did not get reset properly in\nthis case. In ath11k_mac_op_start(), it was indeed the only accounting var\nthat did not get reset so let's clear it too.\n\nThis avoids problems like those:\n\n\t[1248828.088023] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 12281 at net/mac80211/util.c:1682 ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0\n\t[1248828.088115] Call trace:\n\t[1248828.088116]  ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0 (P)\n\t[1248828.088119]  ieee80211_reconfig+0x774/0x1438\n\t[1248828.088123]  ieee80211_restart_work+0x10c/0x178\n\t[1248828.088127]  process_one_work+0x178/0x3c0\n\t[1248828.088130]  worker_thread+0x280/0x440\n\t[1248828.088133]  kthread+0xe0/0xf8\n\t[1248828.088137]  ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20\n\t[1248828.088141] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---\n\t[1248836.686604] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: refusing to associate station: too many connected already (128)\n\t[1248836.686609] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: Failed to add station: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx for VDEV: 1\n\nTested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.9.0.1-01977-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1","publishedAt":"2026-10-23T12:11:48.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-30T12:40:25.994Z","severity":null,"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"302b622d5f3c9ef5efa36e41e69d278599265cfc","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"5f814ca9a68fd12a51fe82c36a4a876f5b8329f1","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"a78f2d082f72e3c140c4542cade7f7f56f3cc62d","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"5.6","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"5.6","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.273","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.224","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.191","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.160","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.113","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.56","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2.10","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.2.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.3","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/302b622d5f3c9ef5efa36e41e69d278599265cfc","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f814ca9a68fd12a51fe82c36a4a876f5b8329f1","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a78f2d082f72e3c140c4542cade7f7f56f3cc62d","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-30T13:00:06.648Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/98xxx/CVE-2026-98936.json","commit":"cb14bf1b43b0c9f05f7f40eae2246263fd430780","baselineCommit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-98936","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-10-23T12:11:48.632Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-30T12:40:25.994Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2026-09-25T10:25:14.381Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nwifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start\n\nWhen (multiple) hw restart occurs, we end up in a situation where we\ncannot accept new stations / mesh peers. This seems to be the\n'num_stations' in 'struct ath11k' that did not get reset properly in\nthis case. In ath11k_mac_op_start(), it was indeed the only accounting var\nthat did not get reset so let's clear it too.\n\nThis avoids problems like those:\n\n\t[1248828.088023] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 12281 at net/mac80211/util.c:1682 ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0\n\t[1248828.088115] Call trace:\n\t[1248828.088116]  ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0 (P)\n\t[1248828.088119]  ieee80211_reconfig+0x774/0x1438\n\t[1248828.088123]  ieee80211_restart_work+0x10c/0x178\n\t[1248828.088127]  process_one_work+0x178/0x3c0\n\t[1248828.088130]  worker_thread+0x280/0x440\n\t[1248828.088133]  kthread+0xe0/0xf8\n\t[1248828.088137]  ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20\n\t[1248828.088141] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---\n\t[1248836.686604] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: refusing to associate station: too many connected already (128)\n\t[1248836.686609] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: Failed to add station: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx for VDEV: 1\n\nTested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.9.0.1-01977-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1"}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"302b622d5f3c9ef5efa36e41e69d278599265cfc","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"5f814ca9a68fd12a51fe82c36a4a876f5b8329f1","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"a78f2d082f72e3c140c4542cade7f7f56f3cc62d","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d5c65159f2895379e11ca13f62feabe93278985d","status":"affected","lessThan":"7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"5.6","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"5.6","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.273","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.224","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.191","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.160","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.113","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.56","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2.10","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.2.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.3","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/302b622d5f3c9ef5efa36e41e69d278599265cfc"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f814ca9a68fd12a51fe82c36a4a876f5b8329f1"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a78f2d082f72e3c140c4542cade7f7f56f3cc62d"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/60142eb2afda34508e640a3ff2a54c90e51525cc"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3ac51701e925e8d50479ae2fddca51a09f636e8"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a9467f7cc633b31e4c34a2c56aa095e0c3fa853"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c27779d3679c695674747744390f97a5424a0dc8"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e0ad05ebc72fffba2bdf2400400902d94ed7272"}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-10-30T12:40:25.994Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.273"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.224"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.191"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"6.6.160"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"6.12.113"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"6.18.56"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"7.2.10"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"5.6","versionEndExcluding":"7.3"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}}}}}