CVE-2024-26897 — wifi: ath9k: delay all of ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() until init is complete
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath9k: delay all of ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() until init is complete The ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() used in ath9k_htc assumes that all the data structures have been fully initialised by the time it runs. However, because of the order in which things are initialised, this is not guaranteed to be the case, because the device is exposed to the USB subsystem before the ath9k driver initialisation is completed. We already committed a partial fix for this in commit: 8b3046abc99e ("ath9k_htc: fix NULL pointer dereference at ath9k_htc_tx_get_packet()") However, that commit only aborted the WMI_TXSTATUS_EVENTID command in the event tasklet, pairing it with an "initialisation complete" bit in the TX struct. It seems syzbot managed to trigger the race for one of the other commands as well, so let's just move the existing synchronisation bit to cover the whole tasklet (setting it at the end of ath9k_htc_probe_device() instead of inside ath9k_tx_init()).
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Debian Debian Linux, Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (logic error), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 10.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 8b3046abc99eefe11438090bcc4ec3a3994b55d0 and < 74d0639261dd795dce958d1b14815bdcbb48a715version 5.17≥ 5.16.3 and < 5.17≥ 5.15.17 and < 5.15.153≥ 5.10.136 and < 5.10.214version 7bbc1a50a7963f14048f0e54b0b73159f86d4ea3≥ 8b3046abc99eefe11438090bcc4ec3a3994b55d0 and < 24355fcb0d4cbcb6ddda262596558e8cfba70f11≥ 8b3046abc99eefe11438090bcc4ec3a3994b55d0 and < 4afa0246656d5680c8a4c3fb37ba6570c4ab819b and 4 more≥ 8b3046abc99eefe11438090bcc4ec3a3994b55d0 and < ac90e22e735bac44f74b5161fb096fbeb0ff8bc2≥ 8b3046abc99eefe11438090bcc4ec3a3994b55d0 and < a015fbf698c8957aa5fbeefc5c59dd2cf3107298≥ 735aefae7b68025cd04c482a940c0f6fc6797a63 and < f8ff4b4df71e87f609be0cc37d92e918107f9b90≥ 78c8397132dd4735ac6a7b5a651302f0b9f264ad and < 1bc5461a21c56a36e2a7d81e152b90ce019a3905 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.8 and < 6.8.2≥ 6.7 and < 6.7.11≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.23≥ 5.16.3 and < 6.1.83≥ 5.15.17 and < 5.15.153≥ 5.10.136 and < 5.10.214 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.0 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 4.7 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 14, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.19%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel, debian/debian linux
- CVSS changed · 4.7
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2024
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
11 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/24355fcb0d4cbcb6ddda262596558e8cfba70f11
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f8ff4b4df71e87f609be0cc37d92e918107f9b90
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a015fbf698c8957aa5fbeefc5c59dd2cf3107298
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4afa0246656d5680c8a4c3fb37ba6570c4ab819b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac90e22e735bac44f74b5161fb096fbeb0ff8bc2
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/74d0639261dd795dce958d1b14815bdcbb48a715
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bc5461a21c56a36e2a7d81e152b90ce019a3905
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00017.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26897
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-96gr-7mgw-2637
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2024-26897 is "wifi: ath9k: delay all of ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() until init is complete", rated Medium. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 4.7 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.19% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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