CVE-2026-80641 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: wlcore: enable the right set of ciphers
The firmware version number check for IGTK introduced in commit c34dbc5900b0 ("wifi: wlcore: Add support for IGTK key")
lets the amount of ciphers decrease on every boot of a too old firmware and that is practically happening. It also does not take into account other chips than the wl18xx. On some wl128x, the following can be observed when connecting via nm to a common ap:
[ 484.113311] wlcore: WARNING could not set keys
[ 484.117828] wlcore: ERROR Could not add or replace key
[ 484.123016] wlan0: failed to set key (5, ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff) to hardware (-5)
[ 484.123046] wlcore: Hardware recovery in progress. FW ver: Rev 7.3.10.0.142
[ 484.139923] wlcore: pc: 0x0, hint_sts: 0x00000048 count: 1
[ 484.145721] wlcore: down
[ 484.148986] ieee80211 phy0: Hardware restart was requested
[ 484.610473] wlcore: firmware booted (Rev 7.3.10.0.142)
[ 484.633758] wlcore: Association completed.
[ 484.690490] wlcore: ERROR command execute failure 14
[ 484.690490] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[ 484.700195] WARNING: drivers/net/wireless/ti/wlcore/main.c:872 at wl12xx_queue_recovery_work+0x64/0x74 [wlcore], CPU#0: kworker/0:0/892
This repeats endlessly. Always disable IGTK on wl12xx and fix the decrementing mess.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2026
The vulnerability in question resides within the Linux kernel's wireless driver subsystem, specifically affecting the wlcore driver used for Texas Instruments Wi-Fi chips such as the wl18xx and wl128x series. The core issue stems from an incorrect implementation of a firmware version check related to IGTK (Integrity Group Temporal Key) cipher support introduced in commit c34dbc5900b0. This logic flaw causes the driver to erroneously decrement the allowed number of ciphers on every system boot when interacting with older or incompatible firmware versions, particularly those found on wl12xx hardware. The original intent was likely to ensure compatibility by disabling IGTK support for firmwares that do not properly handle it, but the implementation failed to account for specific chip architectures and resulted in a cumulative degradation of cipher capabilities rather than a static configuration adjustment.
From a technical perspective, this defect manifests as a progressive failure to set cryptographic keys during network association attempts using NetworkManager or similar tools. When the system boots with an older firmware version that does not support IGTK correctly, the driver's logic incorrectly reduces the available cipher count each time it initializes. This leads to immediate operational failures where the hardware cannot accept key configuration commands, resulting in error codes such as -5 and specific warnings indicating a failure to add or replace keys for broadcast addresses. The malfunction triggers an endless loop of hardware recovery processes, characterized by repeated firmware resets, association attempts, command execution failures, and kernel work queue warnings. This cycle prevents stable network connectivity and consumes significant system resources due to the continuous restart cycles initiated by the driver's error handling mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for users relying on wl12xx based hardware with legacy firmware versions. The endless loop of hardware recovery effectively renders the wireless interface unusable, causing persistent disconnections and preventing successful authentication against access points that utilize standard security protocols including IGTK. This not only disrupts network availability but also introduces stability issues at the kernel level due to the repetitive triggering of error handlers and work queues. Furthermore, the lack of proper chip-specific differentiation means that while some newer chips might function correctly under certain conditions, older wl12xx devices are systematically broken by this logic flaw, leading to a degraded user experience and potential denial of service for wireless connectivity on affected systems.
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is necessary to correct the firmware version checking logic within the wlcore driver source code. The fix involves ensuring that IGTK support is consistently disabled for all wl12xx chip variants regardless of boot cycles, thereby preventing the erroneous decrementing of cipher counts. This requires updating the kernel to a patched version where the conditional checks properly distinguish between different hardware revisions and firmware capabilities without applying cumulative penalties on each initialization. Administrators managing affected systems should prioritize kernel updates that include this specific fix for wifi: wlcore. Until such an update is applied, workarounds may involve manually disabling IGTK support in network configuration tools if possible, though the root cause lies strictly within the driver's internal logic and requires a code-level correction to resolve permanently.
This issue aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation as it involves incorrect handling of version identifiers leading to unintended state changes, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1496 Resource Hijacking due to the excessive consumption of system resources through endless recovery loops caused by the software defect.