CVE Intelligence
Medium Memory corruption

CVE-2024-40942 — wifi: mac80211: mesh: Fix leak of mesh_preq_queue objects

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: mesh: Fix leak of mesh_preq_queue objects The hwmp code use objects of type mesh_preq_queue, added to a list in ieee80211_if_mesh, to keep track of mpath we need to resolve. If the mpath gets deleted, ex mesh interface is removed, the entries in that list will never get cleaned. Fix this by flushing all corresponding items of the preq_queue in mesh_path_flush_pending(). This should take care of KASAN reports like this: unreferenced object 0xffff00000668d800 (size 128): comm "kworker/u8:4", pid 67, jiffies 4295419552 (age 1836.444s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 1f 05 09 00 00 ff ff 00 d5 68 06 00 00 ff ff ..........h..... 8e 97 ea eb 3e b8 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ....>........... backtrace: [<000000007302a0b6>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1e0/0x35c [<00000000049bd418>] kmalloc_trace+0x34/0x80 [<0000000000d792bb>] mesh_queue_preq+0x44/0x2a8 [<00000000c99c3696>] mesh_nexthop_resolve+0x198/0x19c [<00000000926bf598>] ieee80211_xmit+0x1d0/0x1f4 [<00000000fc8c2284>] __ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x30c/0x764 [<000000005926ee38>] ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x9c/0x7a4 [<000000004c86e916>] dev_hard_start_xmit+0x174/0x440 [<0000000023495647>] __dev_queue_xmit+0xe24/0x111c [<00000000cfe9ca78>] batadv_send_skb_packet+0x180/0x1e4 [<000000007bacc5d5>] batadv_v_elp_periodic_work+0x2f4/0x508 [<00000000adc3cd94>] process_one_work+0x4b8/0xa1c [<00000000b36425d1>] worker_thread+0x9c/0x634 [<0000000005852dd5>] kthread+0x1bc/0x1c4 [<000000005fccd770>] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 unreferenced object 0xffff000009051f00 (size 128): comm "kworker/u8:4", pid 67, jiffies 4295419553 (age 1836.440s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 90 d6 92 0d 00 00 ff ff 00 d8 68 06 00 00 ff ff ..........h..... 36 27 92 e4 02 e0 01 00 00 58 79 06 00 00 ff ff 6'.......Xy..... backtrace: [<000000007302a0b6>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1e0/0x35c [<00000000049bd418>] kmalloc_trace+0x34/0x80 [<0000000000d792bb>] mesh_queue_preq+0x44/0x2a8 [<00000000c99c3696>] mesh_nexthop_resolve+0x198/0x19c [<00000000926bf598>] ieee80211_xmit+0x1d0/0x1f4 [<00000000fc8c2284>] __ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x30c/0x764 [<000000005926ee38>] ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x9c/0x7a4 [<000000004c86e916>] dev_hard_start_xmit+0x174/0x440 [<0000000023495647>] __dev_queue_xmit+0xe24/0x111c [<00000000cfe9ca78>] batadv_send_skb_packet+0x180/0x1e4 [<000000007bacc5d5>] batadv_v_elp_periodic_work+0x2f4/0x508 [<00000000adc3cd94>] process_one_work+0x4b8/0xa1c [<00000000b36425d1>] worker_thread+0x9c/0x634 [<0000000005852dd5>] kthread+0x1bc/0x1c4 [<000000005fccd770>] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20

Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP, GitHub Security Advisories · CNA: Linux

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+3
  • 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.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.28%
ahead of 19% of scored CVEs · Oct 16, 2026
Affects
Linux
Linux and 1 more
CVSS base
5.5
Medium · 2 source(s)

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.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Partial
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

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)
  • 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.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
  2. Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
  3. Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Linux Linux ≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < 377dbb220edc8421b7960691876c5b3bef62f89bversion 2.6.26≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < b7d7f11a291830fdf69d3301075dd0fb347ced84≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < d81e244af521de63ad2883e17571b789c39b6549≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < 63d5f89bb5664d60edbf8cf0df911aaae8ed96a4≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < 617dadbfb2d3e152c5753e28356d189c9d6f33c0≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < c4c865f971fd4a255208f57ef04d814c2ae9e0dc≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < 7518e20a189f8659b8b83969db4d33a4068fcfc3
and 1 more ≥ 050ac52cbe1f3de2fb0d06f02c7919ae1f691c9e and < ec79670eae430b3ffb7e0a6417ad7657728b8f95
Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Linux Linux Kernel ≥ 2.6.26 and < 4.19.317version 6.10-rc2version 6.10-rc1≥ 6.7 and < 6.9.6≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.35≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.95≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.162≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.221
and 1 more ≥ 4.20 and < 5.4.279
Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
5.5 CVSS 3.1 Medium 1.8 3.6 nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
5.5 CVSS 3.1 Medium — — GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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.

CWE-401 · Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Other CVEs with this weakness →

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 14, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 0.28%

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.
  • Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
endpoint telemetry (EDR)crash dumps

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Affected products added · linux/linux
    Oct 14, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 14, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 14, 2026
  • Fix documented
    Oct 14, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
    Oct 14, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVSS changed · 5.5
    Oct 14, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Modified
    Oct 14, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 14, 2026 · Alertas do Telegram
  • 2024
  • CVE published
    Jul 12, 2024 · Linux

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

13 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Linux
every CVE for this vendor
Memory corruption
same class
CWE-401
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 2d
  • CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 2d
  • CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 3d
  • CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 3d
  • CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 3d
  • CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 3d

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-2024-40942 is "wifi: mac80211: mesh: Fix leak of mesh_preq_queue objects", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.28% 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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