Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affecting virt_wifi Devices

CVE-2026-31695

What is CVE-2026-31695?

A vulnerability has been identified within the Linux kernel that affects virt_wifi devices. The issue arises during the unregistration of a virt_wifi device, specifically through the 'SET_NETDEV_DEV' functionality. This leads to a use-after-free scenario, where the system may attempt to access freed memory during ethtool operations, potentially resulting in undefined behavior or system crashes. This fix aims to enhance the stability and reliability of virt_wifi devices by removing the 'SET_NETDEV_DEV' function to prevent such memory access conflicts.

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