UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63821: Medium severity ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtw88: usb: fix memory leaks on USB write failures When rtwusbwriteport() fails to submit a USB Request Block (URB) (e.g., due to device disconnect or ENOMEM), the completion callback is never executed. Currently, the driver ignores the return value of rtwusbwriteport() in rtwusbwritedata() and rtwusbtxaggskb(). Because these functions rely on the completion callback to free the socket buffers (skbs) and the transaction control block (txcb), a submission failure results in: 1. A memory leak of the allocated skb in rtwusbwritedata(). 2. A memory leak of the txcb structure and all aggregated skbs in rtwusbtxaggskb(). Fix this by checking the return value of rtwusbwriteport(). If it fails, explicitly free the skb in rtwusbwritedata(), and properly purge the txackqueue and free the txcb in rtwusbtxaggskb(). The issue was discovered in practice during device disconnect/reconnect scenarios and memory pressure conditions. Tested by verifying normal TX operation continues after the fix without regressions.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1012.12~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fdeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.76 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1011.11~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gketo a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1066.74 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gkeopto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1052.56 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.68 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-lowlatencyto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1018.18~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.67 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1011.11~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-31.31.1~24.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-bluefieldto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1033.38 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-realtimeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.1-1062.63 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-31.31 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1012.12 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fdeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1011.11 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gketo a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1006.7 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-nvidiato a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1018.18 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bosto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-2018.18 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1011.11 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-raspito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1019.19 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-realtimeto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-31.31.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-riscvto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-31.31.1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which systems are realistically exposed to this issue?
Systems using the rtw88 USB Wi-Fi driver are affected when USB transmit requests cannot be submitted. The affected Ubuntu kernel package families listed are linux-riscv, linux-realtime, linux-azure, linux-gcp, linux-azure-fde, linux-gke, linux-hwe-edge, and linux-gkeop.
What conditions trigger the memory leaks?
The leaks occur when rtw_usb_write_port() fails to submit a USB Request Block, such as during USB device disconnect or reconnect events or under memory-pressure conditions that produce ENOMEM. A successful submission does not trigger this failure path.
What is the operational impact of exploitation or occurrence?
Failed USB write submissions can leave an allocated socket buffer unreleased in one transmit path. In aggregated transmit handling, they can leave the transaction control block and all aggregated socket buffers unreleased, causing memory consumption to grow.
What can be done if an updated kernel cannot be deployed immediately?
The provided information identifies device disconnect/reconnect events and memory pressure as observed trigger conditions. Reducing those conditions may reduce exposure to the failure path, but the described remediation is to handle failed USB write submissions by freeing the affected buffers and control block.