The iwlwifi driver in the Linux kernel contains a flaw that causes the driver to set transmission rates incorrectly on older Intel wireless devices such as the 7265D. The bug arises from a mishandled conversion between version 1, 2, and 3 rate indices, leading the driver to report PLCP values instead of proper rate indices. This incorrect configuration can trigger warning messages and, in the past, have caused firmware asserts and device crashes, ultimately resulting in denial of service against the wireless subsystem.

Affected systems are Linux kernel hosts that use the iwlwifi driver for Intel wireless chipsets. The specific impact pertains to older devices that still use the V1 format, thus any machine running a kernel that has not been updated to include the recent patch will be vulnerable. The CVE references only the kernel, so all distributions shipping kernels before the patch apply. The kernel version semantics are not explicitly listed, but the patch commit is part of the stable kernel series.

The CVSS score of 8.1 indicates a high severity vulnerability. The EPSS score of <1% suggests that exploitation is currently considered unlikely but not impossible, and the vulnerability is not included in the CISA KEV list. Although the description does not specify an exploitation vector, it is inferred that an attacker could trigger the flaw by sending specially crafted frames that prompt the driver to incorrectly set TX_CMD rates, leading to a crash or denial of service. This would likely require network‑level access or could be achieved by proximity if the target device is within range.