---
id: "CVE-2026-98936"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98936"]
title: "Linux kernel: ath11k Wi-Fi driver stops accepting stations after restart"
severity: "low"
cvss: null
epss: 0.00209
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["ath11k", "linux-kernel", "runtime", "self-hosted", "wifi"]
not_affected_if: ["no-ath11k-hardware"]
published_at: "2026-10-23T13:17:14+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98936", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98936", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: ath11k Wi-Fi driver stops accepting stations after restart

After repeated hardware restarts, the ath11k Wi-Fi driver keeps a stale station counter, so it refuses new clients and mesh peers. The sources describe a kernel warning and a refused-association error, with no sign of code execution or data theft.

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

## How to check

- Look for `refusing to associate station: too many connected already` in the kernel log (`dmesg | grep ath11k`)
- Check the kernel version with `uname -r` and whether it includes the ath11k fix
- unknown

## Fix

- Update the Linux kernel to a release that includes the upstream commit 'wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start' (version unknown from sources)
- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98936
- 2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98936

## From the sources

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

wifi: ath11k: reset ar->num_stations on hardware start

When (multiple) hw restart occurs, we end up in a situation where we
cannot accept new stations / mesh peers. This seems to be the
'num_stations' in 'struct ath11k' that did not get reset properly in
this case. In ath11k_mac_op_start(), it was indeed the only accounting var
that did not get reset so let's clear it too.

This avoids problems like those:

	[1248828.088023] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 12281 at net/mac80211/util.c:1682 ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0
	[1248828.088115] Call trace:
	[1248828.088116]  ieee80211_reconfig_stations+0x98/0xc0 (P)
	[1248828.088119]  ieee80211_reconfig+0x774/0x1438
	[1248828.088123]  ieee80211_restart_work+0x10c/0x178
	[1248828.088127]  process_one_work+0x178/0x3c0
	[1248828.088130]  worker_thread+0x280/0x440
	[1248828.088133]  kthread+0xe0/0xf8
	[1248828.088137]  ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20
	[1248828.088141] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
	[1248836.686604] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: refusing to associate station: too many connected already (128)
	[1248836.686609] ath11k_pci 0000:04:00.0: Failed to add station: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx for VDEV: 1

Tested-on: QCN9074 hw1.0 PCI WLAN.HK.2.9.0.1-01977-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_