Linux Kernel iwlwifi CVE-2026-43172

Apply vendor-provided kernel updates incorporating upstream fixes: upgrade to Linux kernel 6.18.16+ for 6.18.x series (commit 58192b9ce09b), 6.19.6+ for 6.19.x series (commit 2b4b1510aaaf), or 7.0+ for mainline (commit 1d49a42717bd). Patches available at https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/58192b9ce09b0f0f86e2036683bd542130b91a98 (6.18), https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2b4b1510aaaf5b9fb57327ecffc20c055f61f205 (6.19), and https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d49a42717bdc8de77eabeb5b7d3e88d141ffea9 (mainline). Distribution-specific updates: monitor security advisories from your Linux vendor (RHSA, USN, DSA, SUSE-SU) for kernel packages. If immediate patching is infeasible, compensating controls include: disabling iwlwifi driver module via modprobe blacklist (breaks WiFi functionality on affected Intel hardware - acceptable only for wired-only systems), restricting physical access to prevent firmware modification, implementing 802.1X network access control to limit adjacent network exposure (reduces attack surface but does not eliminate risk from authenticated adjacent users), or replacing affected Intel WiFi hardware with alternative chipsets. Note that disabling the driver is the only technical control that fully mitigates but renders WiFi unusable. Runtime kernel integrity monitoring (e.g., SELinux, AppArmor in enforcing mode) provides post-exploit detection but does not prevent the initial memory corruption.