Linux Kernel up to 6.18.58/7.2.12 mac802154 mac802154_perform_association null pointer dereference

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7.2	$0-$5k	0.75-

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.58/7.2.12. Affected by this issue is the function mac802154_perform_association of the component mac802154. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-99134. The attack can be launched remotely. No exploit exists. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.58/7.2.12. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function mac802154_perform_association of the component mac802154. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mac802154: fix data race and NULL deref on local->assoc_dev local->assoc_dev is shared between the association path and the association-response worker without common synchronization. mac802154_perform_association() stores the coordinator pointer and waits for a response. Its timeout and error paths clear the pointer and return to mac802154_associate(), which may then free the coordinator object. Meanwhile, mac802154_rx_mac_cmd_worker() may observe the associating bit and enter mac802154_process_association_resp(), which dereferences assoc_dev. The worker's bit test and the handler's pointer dereference are not atomic with respect to cleanup. Cleanup can clear assoc_dev between them, causing a NULL dereference, or free the coordinator while the response handler still uses the pointer. The recorded result is exposed to the same window. assoc_status and assoc_addr are written by the handler but read by the association path while the associating bit is still set, so a second response for the same request - a malicious one, for instance - can replace them between those reads and leave the caller with an incoherent status and address pair. The response handler only needs the coordinator extended address. Replace assoc_dev with a cached address, removing the pointer lifetime dependency. Protect the cached address and the associating bit with a dedicated spinlock. A READ_ONCE()/WRITE_ONCE() pair would not guarantee an atomic __le64 access on all 32-bit architectures. wpan_dev->association_lock cannot be reused here: nl802154_associate() holds it across rdev_associate(), hence for the whole of mac802154_perform_association() including the wait for the response. A response handler taking that lock would only get it once the association has already given up. Reset the completion, publish the cached address, and set the associating bit while holding the lock. The response handler takes the lock, rechecks the bit and the cached address, records the response, clears the bit, and only then completes the waiter. Thus cleanup cannot pass the handler between its state check and completion, and the cached 64-bit value cannot tear. The handler clears the bit before completing, not the woken waiter: otherwise complete() is issued under the lock and a second (e.g. malicious) response can reacquire it before the waiter and replace the result. So a wait that returns success implies the bit is already clear, and the success and negative-response paths return directly. The transmit-error and timeout paths still clear it under assoc_lock, which serializes any racing response against the cleanup while the call returns the error it already selected. Both paths snapshot assoc_status and assoc_addr under the same lock. Both users run in process context, so a plain spinlock is sufficient. The lock is not held while waiting for the completion.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-99134 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 10/28/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.18.59 or 7.2.13 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 3cdd8b1abddebbae2582e90294c77b61d5f5aee7/a585901bb8cd2cd60d678be8a56ca6a4e1a6946c/c037915f80c4db47f7d061d68e703ffd551b1a34 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 6.18.50
• 6.18.51
• 6.18.52
• 6.18.53
• 6.18.54
• 6.18.55
• 6.18.56
• 6.18.57
• 6.18.58
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5
• 7.2.6
• 7.2.7
• 7.2.8
• 7.2.9
• 7.2.10
• 7.2.11
• 7.2.12

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.2

VulDB Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Temp Score: 7.2
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.18.59/7.2.13
Patch: 3cdd8b1abddebbae2582e90294c77b61d5f5aee7/a585901bb8cd2cd60d678be8a56ca6a4e1a6946c/c037915f80c4db47f7d061d68e703ffd551b1a34

Timelineinfo

09/25/2026 CVE reserved
10/28/2026 +33 days Advisory disclosed
10/28/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
10/28/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CNA: Linux
CVE: CVE-2026-99134 (🔒)

GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-99134
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-427912

Entryinfo

Created: 10/28/2026 12:47
Changes: 10/28/2026 12:47 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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