Incomplete PHYLIB cleanup in Linux tg3 driver on probe failure
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
- —
- User interaction
- —
- Attack complexity
- —
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- —
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The tg3 Ethernet driver in the Linux kernel, from 2.6.27 onward, does not release its PHYLIB resources when device probe fails. If tg3_init_one() fails after an MDIO bus was registered and a PHY was connected, the error path frees the mappings and netdev but leaves the MDIO bus and PHY connection in place.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tg3: clean up PHYLIB resources on probe failure tg3_get_invariants() can register an MDIO bus and connect a PHY for USE_PHYLIB devices. If tg3_init_one() later fails, its common error path releases the mappings and netdev without undoing those PHYLIB resources. Disconnect the PHY and unregister the MDIO bus before the remaining teardown. Guard PHY cleanup with USE_PHYLIB to match tg3_phy_init(), and call tg3_mdio_fini() unconditionally to match tg3_mdio_init(). The existing IS_CONNECTED and MDIOBUS_INITED flags make both helpers safe when initialization only completed partially. This issue was identified during our ongoing static-analysis research while reviewing kernel code.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.27 and later | 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.27 and later Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Upgrade the Linux kernel to 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3 for the stable branches, or to a kernel that includes the upstream fix commits listed for this record. Red Hat's plan for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 is none available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98594
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-2vwq-f5h6-r9rw
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce86d6929d03e6b0abcb781dfa50f9f0816bff78
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a449eedb3b1eb5b8b1f5ed116a1bfe85eaaf81df
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0844402326d4e48a28688f93ec6442e93bb442fa
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e766321288b507afb70d2bfef6ba443213329f79
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d2abb0013b933d59ee441185df0eca9e8c0b33eb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6515c41503eef849abd2c7364f34e4bb25110f90
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6c0c757c65893ad7bb17e8bcf33cdd8257d7b3d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a92e1a412c53dc0d9ad639e7abf8b3fc70a5b6ad
More Linux vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
Sources
- CVE-2026-98594 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98594 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-2vwq-f5h6-r9rw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98594 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences