STRUCT CFG80211_PMKSA(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 NAME 💖

struct cfg80211_pmksa — PMK Security Association. Bestie, this is the cfg80211_pmksa(9) manual page, and it’s literally the struct that carries PMKSA info for the kernel. ✨

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

Okay so here’s the shape of it, no cap:

struct cfg80211_pmksa {
    const u8 *bssid;
    const u8 *pmkid;
    const u8 *pmk;
    size_t pmk_len;
    const u8 *ssid;
    size_t ssid_len;
    const u8 *cache_id;
    u32 pmk_lifetime;
    u8 pmk_reauth_threshold;
};

🌸 Members 🌸

  • bssid — the AP’s BSSID (may be NULL). 🫶
  • pmkid — the identifier to refer a PMKSA. It’s literally the little name tag for the association. 💅
  • pmk — the PMK for the PMKSA identified by pmkid. This is used for key derivation by a FILS STA. Otherwise, NULL. 🔥
  • pmk_len — length of the pmk. The length of pmk can differ depending on the hash algorithm used to generate this. 🧚
  • ssid — SSID to specify the ESS within which a PMKSA is valid when using FILS cache identifier (may be NULL). 🌸
  • ssid_len — length of the ssid in octets. 🎀
  • cache_id — 2-octet cache identifier advertized by a FILS AP identifying the scope of PMKSA. This is valid only if ssid_len is non-zero (may be NULL). 🦋
  • pmk_lifetime — maximum lifetime for PMKSA in seconds (dot11RSNAConfigPMKLifetime) or 0 if not specified. The configured PMKSA must not be used for PMKSA caching after expiration, and any keys derived from this PMK become invalid on expiration, i.e., the current association must be dropped if the PMK used for it expires. 😭
  • pmk_reauth_threshold — threshold time for reauthentication (percentage of PMK lifetime, dot11RSNAConfigPMKReauthThreshold) or 0 if not specified. Drivers are expected to trigger a full authentication instead of using this PMKSA for caching when reassociating to a new BSS after this threshold to generate a new PMK before the current one expires. 👑

✨ Description ✨

This structure is passed to the set/del_pmksa method for PMKSA caching. 🎀

✨ SEE ALSO ✨

Okay bestie, this is the part where the man page just... lists everyone in the group chat 💅. It's the cfg80211 extended universe and everybody showed up. Like, the whole roster. No cap.

The main character file this all lives in is:

  • ./include/net/cfg80211.h — literally the kernel file where all this lives 🎀

🌸 the starting point

  • Introduction(9) — start here if you're new, bestie, it's giving orientation week
  • Device registration(9) — how devices get themselves on the list

🦋 the channel / rate / band girlies

  • enum ieee80211_channel_flags(9)
  • struct ieee80211_channel(9)
  • enum ieee80211_rate_flags(9)
  • enum ieee80211_bss_type(9)
  • enum ieee80211_privacy(9)
  • struct ieee80211_rate(9)
  • struct ieee80211_he_obss_pd(9)
  • struct cfg80211_he_bss_color(9)

💜 HT / VHT / HE / EHT / UHR capacities (the glow-up pipeline)

  • struct ieee80211_sta_ht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_vht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_he_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_eht_mcs_nss_supp(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_eht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_uhr_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sband_iftype_data(9)
  • enum ieee80211_edmg_bw_config(9)
  • struct ieee80211_edmg(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_s1g_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_supported_band(9)

🧚 the iftype-data helper besties

💖 Actions and configuration — the big one

  • Actions and configuration(9) — the whole section, iconic 👑
  • struct vif_params(9)
  • struct key_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_chan_def(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_cfg(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_fils_aad(9)
  • struct cfg80211_set_hw_timestamp(9)

⭐ chandef nation (say it with me: channel definition)

🔥 survey + crypto + beacon-ish stuff

  • enum survey_info_flags(9)
  • struct survey_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_crypto_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_rnr_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_beacon_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_acl_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_fils_discovery(9)
  • struct cfg80211_unsol_bcast_probe_resp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_s1g_short_beacon(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ap_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ap_update(9)
  • struct cfg80211_csa_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_color_change_settings(9)
  • struct iface_combination_params(9)

🎀 station parameters (the whole friend group)

  • enum station_parameters_apply_mask(9)
  • struct sta_txpwr(9)
  • struct link_station_parameters(9)
  • struct link_station_del_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ttlm_params(9)
  • struct station_parameters(9)
  • struct station_del_parameters(9)
  • enum cfg80211_station_type(9)
  • cfg80211_check_station_change(9)

🌈 rate / bss / tid stats besties

  • enum rate_info_flags(9)
  • enum rate_info_bw(9)
  • struct rate_info(9)
  • enum bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct sta_bss_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_txq_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_stats(9)
  • struct link_station_info(9)
  • struct station_info(9)

🍓 SAR + station getters + monitor/mpath/bss params

  • struct cfg80211_sar_sub_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_freq_ranges(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_capa(9)
  • cfg80211_get_station(9)
  • enum monitor_flags(9)
  • enum mpath_info_flags(9)
  • struct mpath_info(9)
  • enum wiphy_bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct bss_parameters(9)
  • struct mesh_config(9)
  • struct mesh_setup(9)
  • struct ocb_setup(9)
  • struct ieee80211_txq_params(9)

🔍 Scanning and BSS list handling — deep dive hours

  • Scanning and BSS list handling(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ssid(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_6ghz_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_match_set(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_plan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_select_adjust(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_request(9)
  • enum cfg80211_signal_type(9)
  • struct cfg80211_inform_bss(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_ies(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_elem(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_ie(9)

🫶 auth / assoc / connect era

  • struct cfg80211_auth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_link(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ml_reconf_req(9)
  • enum cfg80211_assoc_req_flags(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_deauth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_disassoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ibss_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_selection(9)
  • struct cfg80211_connect_params(9)
  • enum cfg80211_connect_params_changed(9)

💀 wowlan / coalesce / packet pattern zone

  • enum wiphy_params_flags(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pkt_pattern(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_tcp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce_rules(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_match(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_wakeup(9)
  • struct cfg80211_gtk_rekey_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_ft_ies_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mgmt_tx_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_exception(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_range(9)
  • struct cfg80211_qos_map(9)

🧚 Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) — the niche fave

  • Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_band_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_channel(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_local_sched(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_map(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_sched(9)
  • enum cfg80211_nan_conf_changes(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func_filter(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func(9)

💅 pmksa-adjacent + auth + pm sr + mgmt frames

(yes bestie, the very struct this page is about has friends here 🫶)

  • struct cfg80211_pmk_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_external_auth_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ftm_responder_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_owe_info(9)
  • struct mgmt_frame_regs(9)

👑 the ops + wiphy flags + iface combos

  • struct cfg80211_ops(9)
  • enum wiphy_flags(9)
  • struct ieee80211_iface_limit(9)
  • struct ieee80211_iface_combination(9)
  • enum wiphy_wowlan_support_flags(9)
  • struct wiphy_wowlan_support(9)
  • struct wiphy_coalesce_support(9)
  • enum wiphy_vendor_command_flags(9)
  • enum wiphy_opmode_flag(9)
  • struct sta_opmode_info(9)
  • struct wiphy_vendor_command(9)
  • struct wiphy_iftype_ext_capab(9)
  • cfg80211_get_iftype_ext_capa(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_capabilities(9)
  • struct wiphy_iftype_akm_suites(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio_cfg(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio_freq_range(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio(9)
  • enum wiphy_nan_flags(9)
  • struct wiphy_nan_capa(9)

🌸 the wiphy lifecycle (born → registered → locked → freed)

🦋 work queue girlies (delayed, hrtimer, all of it)

⭐ Utility functions — the little helpers that ate

🔥 Data path helpers — packet-handling royalty

🎀 Regulatory enforcement infrastructure — rules are rules

💜 Internal regulatory db functions

🌈 scan done + bss inform + get/ref/put bss

🍓 mlme mgmt + assoc resp + michael mic failure (rip bozo)

🧚 RFkill integration — turning radios off, politely

👑 Vendor commands — the brand-deal era

💅 Test mode — for science

🫶 connect / roam / disconnect notifications

⭐ remain-on-channel + tid stats alloc/free

🌸 new sta / del sta / conn failed

💖 mgmt rx / tx status + control port

🔥 cqm notifications — connection quality main character energy

okay so, the cross-refs. there are… a lot of them. sixty-four, bestie. i counted. grab a snack 🍓 and let's get through this together, because every single one of these is somebody you might need to call up in a SEE ALSO kind of way.

the regulatory girlies (beaconing division) 👑

channel switch era 📡

operating class / chandef conversions — the math besties 🧮

misc networking icons 💅

registration & the un-registration of things 🎟️

fast transition (FT) corner 🏃‍♀️

P2P + IE splitting + fragmenting, oh my ✂️

wakeup + crit proto, the ones that stop being critical 😴

channels & combinations — the whole vibe check of the radio 🌈

stopping things, gracefully 🛑

ext feature set / isset — the classic pair, they're matching 🎀

NAN, part one (there will be more) 🌸

auth requests & PMSR reports, very main character 🫶

iftype, assoc comeback, and OWE info 👑

bss flush + the entire colour change saga 🎨

6 GHz, links, and MLO reconf (the fancy new stuff) ✨

channels check + epcs 🔍

NAN, part two, she's back 🌸

debugfs, locked, obviously 🔒

S1G frequency gets — start, end, primary sibling 📶

and the final one, incumbent signal notify, closing us out like a queen 👑

and that's the whole reference list, no skips, no shortcuts, every single one accounted for 💖

ngl if you made it this far you're literally a kernel person now. go drink some water.

okay okay, and for the little sign-off: this whole thing lives under ./include/net, it's dated October 2026, and the page itself is struct cfg80211_pmksa(9) — that's the header, that's the version, that's the vibe. periodt. 🎀💜

📦 where this page comes from