CVE-2025-39891 — wifi: mwifiex: Initialize the chan_stats array to zero
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mwifiex: Initialize the chan_stats array to zero The adapter->chan_stats[] array is initialized in mwifiex_init_channel_scan_gap() with vmalloc(), which doesn't zero out memory. The array is filled in mwifiex_update_chan_statistics() and then the user can query the data in mwifiex_cfg80211_dump_survey(). There are two potential issues here. What if the user calls mwifiex_cfg80211_dump_survey() before the data has been filled in. Also the mwifiex_update_chan_statistics() function doesn't necessarily initialize the whole array. Since the array was not initialized at the start that could result in an information leak. Also this array is pretty small. It's a maximum of 900 bytes so it's more appropriate to use kcalloc() instead vmalloc().
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 (high)+6
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.
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.
- 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, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 11.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux |
version 3.19≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 0e20450829ca3c1dbc2db536391537c57a40fe0b≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 5285b7009dc1e09d5bb9e05fae82e1a807882dbc≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 06616410a3e5e6cd1de5b7cbc668f1a7edeedad9≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 9df29aa5637d94d24f7c5f054ef4feaa7b766111≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 32c124c9c03aa755cbaf60ef7f76afd918d47659≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < acdf26a912190fc6746e2a890d7d0338190527b4≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 05daef0442d28350a1a0d6d0e2cab4a7a91df475 and 1 more≥ bf35443314acb43fa8a3f9f8046e14cbe178762b and < 9eb0118b3470b4d2e4e3bbb1fc088b30c0285d65 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 6.17-rc3version 6.17-rc4version 6.17-rc2version 6.17-rc1≥ 6.13 and < 6.16.6≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.46≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.105≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.151 and 3 more≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.192≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.243≥ 3.19 and < 5.4.299 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.2 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.1 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) 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
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel, debian/debian linux
- CVSS changed · 7.1
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 19, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 19, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026
References
12 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9df29aa5637d94d24f7c5f054ef4feaa7b766111
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5285b7009dc1e09d5bb9e05fae82e1a807882dbc
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/05daef0442d28350a1a0d6d0e2cab4a7a91df475
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/06616410a3e5e6cd1de5b7cbc668f1a7edeedad9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/32c124c9c03aa755cbaf60ef7f76afd918d47659
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9eb0118b3470b4d2e4e3bbb1fc088b30c0285d65
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/acdf26a912190fc6746e2a890d7d0338190527b4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e20450829ca3c1dbc2db536391537c57a40fe0b
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-2237-jrrh-3624
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-39891
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-98866 sched/cache: Introduce task_struct->sched_cache_grp to fix UAF 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98867 dm-pcache: bound the logical key offset from persistent memory 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98868 dm-pcache: reject a kset that overruns its segment 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98856 kprobes: Skip disarmed probes when checking optkprobe overlap 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98857 ipvs: bound LBLCR and LBLC cache growth 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98858 io_uring: fix task_work add use-after-free with SQPOLL 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 CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- 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-2025-39891 is "wifi: mwifiex: Initialize the chan_stats array to zero", rated High. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.1 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.16% 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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