How the Linux kernel balances the risks of public bug disclosure

Last month a serious Linux Wi-Fi flaw (CVE-2019-17666) was uncovered that could have enabled an attacker to take over a Linux device using its Wi-Fi interface. At the time it was disclosed Naked Security decided to wait until a patch was available before writing about it.

Well, it’s beenpatched, but the journey from discovery to patch provides some insights into how the Linux open-source project (the world’s largest collaborative software development effort) manages bug fixes and the risks of disclosure.

The Linux community worked hard last month to patch a bug in one of the operating system’s wireless drivers. The bug lay in RTLWIFI, a driver used to run Wi-Fi chips produced by processor manufacturer Realtek.

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