CVE-2026-72049: ieee802154: admin-gate legacy LLSEC dump operations
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ieee802154: admin-gate legacy LLSEC dump operations
In net/ieee802154/netlink.c, the legacy IEEE802154NL family ops table builds the LLSEC dump entries (LLSECLISTKEY, LLSECLISTDEV, LLSECLISTDEVKEY, LLSECLISTSECLEVEL) with IEEE802154DUMP() which sets no .flags, so generic netlink runs them ungated. The modern nl802154 family admin-gates the equivalent reads via NL802154CMDGETSECKEY and friends with .flags = GENLADMINPERM.
Any local uid that can open AFNETLINK / NETLINKGENERIC can resolve the "802.15.4 MAC" family and dump LLSECLISTKEY on any wpan netdev that has an LLSEC key installed; the dump handler writes the raw 16-byte AES-128 key bytes (IEEE802154ATTRLLSECKEYBYTES, copied verbatim from struct ieee802154llseckey.key) into the reply. Recovering the AES key compromises 802.15.4 LLSEC link confidentiality and authenticity, since LLSEC uses CCM and the same key authenticates and encrypts frames.
Impact: any local uid with no capabilities can read the raw 16-byte AES-128 LLSEC key from the kernel keytable on any wpan netdev that has an administrator-installed LLSEC key, by issuing an LLSECLISTKEY dump on the legacy IEEE802154NL generic-netlink family.
Introduce IEEE802154DUMPPRIV() mirroring IEEE802154DUMP() but setting .flags = GENLADMINPERM, and use it for the four LLSEC dump entries. LISTPHY and LISTIFACE retain IEEE802154DUMP() because the modern nl802154 family exposes their equivalents to unprivileged readers by design (NL802154CMDGETWPANPHY and NL802154CMDGETINTERFACE carry "can be retrieved by unprivileged users" annotations).
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Configuration
Ensure the legacy IEEE802154_NL family LLSEC dump handlers (e.g., LLSEC_LIST_KEY and related LLSEC_LIST_DEVKEY/LLSEC_LIST_SECLEVEL entries) are gated by setting their command ops/entries so generic netlink requires GENL_ADMIN_PERM; unprivileged readers should not be able to issue LLSEC_LIST_KEY/LLSEC_LIST_DEV/LLSEC_LIST_DEVKEY requests that return the raw 16-byte key.
Generic Netlink (nl802154) / Legacy IEEE802154_NL family .flags = GENL_ADMIN_PERM for LLSEC_LIST_KEY, LLSEC_LIST_DEVKEY, LLSEC_LIST_SECLEVEL (and related LLSEC dump operations) = GENL_ADMIN_PERM
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-72049?
The severity of CVE-2026-72049 is rated as 62, indicating a moderate risk.
How do I fix CVE-2026-72049?
To fix CVE-2026-72049, ensure that you update your Linux kernel to the latest patched version that addresses this vulnerability.
What software is affected by CVE-2026-72049?
CVE-2026-72049 affects the Linux kernel, specifically the ieee802154 module.
What impact does CVE-2026-72049 have on systems?
CVE-2026-72049 may allow for improper handling of LLSEC dump operations, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure.
When was CVE-2026-72049 published?
CVE-2026-72049 was published on August 15, 2026.