CVE-2026-97516 — wifi: rtw88: Add NULL check for chip->edcca_th in rtw_fw_adaptivity_result()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtw88: Add NULL check for chip->edcca_th in rtw_fw_adaptivity_result() It was recently reported that rtw_fw_adaptivity_result() in fw.c dereferences rtwdev->chip->edcca_th without a NULL check. The issue is that devices with the 8821CE chip don't define edcca_th in their chip info. As a result, when rtw_fw_adaptivity_result() tries to dereference it, the kernel triggers an oops. Add a NULL check for edcca_th before dereferencing it in rtw_fw_adaptivity_result() in fw.c. Placing the check at the function entry avoids logging any garbage values. This change does not address the root cause for this behavior, but it prevents the NULL dereference and the resulting oops while a more permanent solution is developed. Tested on a 8822CE chip which defines edcca_th, so this issue is not present on it, but it still uses this driver and I can verify there are no regressions.
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
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.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
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 (Linux Linux).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ fe7bc23a8c5eba8a49061c1d15d0a9d45ef18130 and < a8cdb18ef80d67790d8611ba94ae3d81901c9e04≥ fe7bc23a8c5eba8a49061c1d15d0a9d45ef18130 and < 0b58a5ac9170a6f5e6425f8e1a4b3e1d9c2bf53d≥ fe7bc23a8c5eba8a49061c1d15d0a9d45ef18130 and < 6fa23cafaf30f4877e357f8eebcff00dff4aa9cb≥ fe7bc23a8c5eba8a49061c1d15d0a9d45ef18130 and < 1d1f250432cd8704c3c125168887f9724021c81a≥ fe7bc23a8c5eba8a49061c1d15d0a9d45ef18130 and < d5e6f353ce1e1c25b8458ea390ed09d2377412c5version 5.16 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 15, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.16%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Record published
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
5 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d1f250432cd8704c3c125168887f9724021c81a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b58a5ac9170a6f5e6425f8e1a4b3e1d9c2bf53d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6fa23cafaf30f4877e357f8eebcff00dff4aa9cb
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8cdb18ef80d67790d8611ba94ae3d81901c9e04
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5e6f353ce1e1c25b8458ea390ed09d2377412c5
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 3d
- Unknown 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 CVSS score published by NVD, the CNA, CISA or GitHub so far.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- 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-2026-97516 is "wifi: rtw88: Add NULL check for chip->edcca_th in rtw_fw_adaptivity_result()", rated Unknown. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. 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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