CVE-2026-22978 – This CVE describes an information disclosure vu... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2026-22978?

CVE-2026-22978 has a CVSS score of 3.3 (LOW). This CVE describes an information disclosure vulnerability in the Linux kernel's WiFi subsystem where a 32-bit memory hole in the iw_point structure on 64-bit architectures could leak kernel memory contents to user space. This affects Linux systems with WiFi capabilities. The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially read sensitive kernel memory data.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE describes an information disclosure vulnerability in the Linux kernel's WiFi subsystem where a 32-bit memory hole in the iw_point structure on 64-bit architectures could leak kernel memory contents to user space. This affects Linux systems with WiFi capabilities. The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially read sensitive kernel memory data.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific affected versions not specified in CVE; check kernel commit history for exact ranges

Operating Systems: Linux distributions with vulnerable kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects 64-bit architectures; requires WiFi subsystem usage

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory disclosure could reveal sensitive information including cryptographic keys, process memory, or other system secrets that could facilitate privilege escalation or further attacks.

🟠

Likely Case

Information disclosure of kernel memory contents, potentially revealing system state information or memory addresses that could aid in bypassing security mechanisms.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact with proper kernel memory isolation and defense-in-depth controls, though information disclosure still occurs.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or WiFi proximity to exploit; not directly exploitable over internet.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or malicious users could exploit this to gather system information for privilege escalation attacks.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access and ability to interact with WiFi subsystem; exploitation details not publicly documented

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits: 024f71a57d563fbe162e528c8bf2d27e9cac7c7b, 21cbf883d073abbfe09e3924466aa5e0449e7261, 442ceac0393185e9982323f6682a52a53e8462b1, a3827e310b5a73535646ef4a552d53b3c8bf74f6, d21ec867d84c9f3a9845d7d8c90c9ce35dbe48f8

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/024f71a57d563fbe162e528c8bf2d27e9cac7c7b

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version 2. Reboot system 3. Verify kernel version after reboot

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable WiFi interfaces

linux

Temporarily disable WiFi interfaces to prevent exploitation

sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo rfkill block wifi

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable kernels
Implement strict access controls and monitoring for WiFi subsystem interactions

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and compare with patched commits; examine if WiFi subsystem is active

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes the fix commits; test WiFi functionality remains operational

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual WiFi subsystem access patterns
Kernel warning messages related to memory access

Network Indicators:

Local network scans for WiFi interfaces

SIEM Query:

process:linux AND (event:kernel_warning OR subsystem:wifi) AND memory_access

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2026-22978

CVSS v3 Score: 3.3 (LOW)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

EPSS Score: 0.03% exploit probability (8.9th percentile)

Published: January 23, 2026

Last Updated: February 26, 2026

🔗 References

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