CVE-2026-80941: wifi: rtw88: Fix potential memory leak in rtw_txq_push_skb()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: rtw88: Fix potential memory leak in rtwtxqpushskb()
The skb passed to the rtwhcitxwrite() is expected to be freed when the function fails, but the error path in rtwtxqpushskb() does not free the skb before returning. This can lead to a memory leak in rtwtxqpush() where a dequeued skb is passed to rtwtxqpushskb().
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What systems are exposed to this issue?
Systems using the Linux kernel rtw88 Wi-Fi driver may be affected when transmission through rtw_hci_tx_write() fails. The provided information does not identify affected kernel versions or specific hardware models.
What conditions are required for the memory leak to occur?
A transmit skb must be dequeued and passed from rtw_txq_push() to rtw_txq_push_skb(), followed by a failure from rtw_hci_tx_write(). On that error path, the skb is not freed.
What can be done if the fix cannot be applied immediately?
The provided information does not specify a configuration workaround or mitigation. Monitor systems using the rtw88 driver for memory growth associated with failed Wi-Fi transmission activity until a kernel containing the fix can be deployed.