An improper handling of transmission rates in the Linux kernel iwlwifi driver exposes legacy devices to potential information disclosure and denial of service attacks.

This issue exists in the iwlwifi driver, specifically within the MVM layer, where TX rates for legacy devices are encoded incorrectly. An adjacent attacker can leverage this miscalculation to trigger undefined behavior in the wireless stack.

This vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker in physical proximity to the wireless network to crash the driver, resulting in a denial of service for affected systems. Furthermore, the improper rate handling may potentially lead to the disclosure of sensitive wireless traffic data. With a CVSS score of 8.1, this flaw presents a substantial risk to wireless infrastructure stability and data privacy.

Immediate Action: Update the Linux kernel to version 6.18.34, 7.0.11, or later versions where this driver defect is resolved.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor system logs for repeated wireless driver crashes, kernel panics, or unusual activity associated with the iwlwifi module.

Compensating Controls: Disable wireless interfaces on affected hardware if immediate patching is not feasible and the risk of adjacent exploitation is deemed high.

Public Exploit Available: No

System administrators should prioritize patching the Linux kernel to the identified fixed versions. Given the nature of kernel-level vulnerabilities, applying these updates is essential to maintain system stability and prevent potential exploitation by adjacent attackers.