---
id: "CVE-2026-98710"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98710"]
title: "Linux kernel: iwlegacy 3945 Wi-Fi driver leaks EEPROM data on removal"
severity: "low"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "intel-3945", "kernel", "linux", "wifi"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config", "no-intel-3945-hardware"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:24+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:17:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98710", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: iwlegacy 3945 Wi-Fi driver leaks EEPROM data on removal

The Linux kernel's iwlegacy driver for Intel 3945 Wi-Fi cards allocates EEPROM data during probe but does not free it when the PCI device is removed. The leak causes memory to be lost on device removal; the sources describe no attacker-controlled impact.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Run `uname -r` and check whether the running kernel includes the upstream fix for iwlegacy 3945 EEPROM removal.
- Run `lspci -nnk | grep -A3 -i network` to see whether an Intel 3945 card uses the iwl3945 driver.

## Fix

- Update the Linux kernel to a release that includes the upstream commit freeing EEPROM data in il3945_pci_remove(); exact version unknown.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98710

## From the sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: iwlegacy: 3945: free EEPROM data on remove

il3945_pci_probe() calls il_eeprom_init(), which allocates memory for
the EEPROM data. The probe failure paths release this allocation with
il_eeprom_free(), but the remove path does not free it after a
successful probe.

As a result, the EEPROM data is leaked when the PCI device is removed.

Free the EEPROM data in il3945_pci_remove() before releasing the
mac80211 hardware structure.

This issue was found by manual code inspection.

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