NULL dereference in Linux bcmgenet driver coalescing settings
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel bcmgenet Ethernet driver, affected from 4.17 before the fixed releases, dereferences a NULL pointer when Rx coalescing parameters are set on an interface that has never been opened. The Rx ring private data and index are only initialized when the interface opens, so the driver reads memory through an unset pointer. Changing coalescing settings on a down interface causes a kernel oops that leaves networking stuck until the system is rebooted.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: bcmgenet: fix NULL dereference in set_coalesce before first open The Rx ring priv and index are only set in bcmgenet_init_rx_ring(), which runs at open. Setting the Rx coalescing parameters on an interface that was never opened, e.g. "ethtool -C eth0 rx-usecs 50", dereferences a NULL ring->priv. The oops happens with RTNL held, so networking stays stuck until a reboot: Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 0000000000002788 pc : bcmgenet_set_rx_coalesce.isra.0+0x10/0x88 lr : bcmgenet_set_coalesce+0xe8/0x180 Call trace: bcmgenet_set_rx_coalesce.isra.0+0x10/0x88 (P) __ethnl_set_coalesce.isra.0+0x490/0x570 ethnl_set_coalesce+0x48/0xc0 ethnl_default_set_doit+0xf4/0x230 genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xe8/0x160 genl_rcv_msg+0x220/0x2a0 netlink_rcv_skb+0x68/0x140 genl_rcv+0x40/0x60 netlink_unicast+0x338/0x3c0 netlink_sendmsg+0x19c/0x3f8 __sock_sendmsg+0x64/0xc0 __sys_sendto+0x124/0x198 __arm64_sys_sendto+0x30/0x48 Set priv and index at probe. Writing the registers while the interface is down is harmless because open resets the MAC and bcmgenet_init_rx_coalesce() reapplies the stored values. It was observed on a Raspberry Pi CM4, but should apply to all other genet devices.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 as affected, with no fix plan available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. 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 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: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98798
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-c3qj-mc3f-4r7r
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/Linux@213ff02ab26a4543ef02b4db393bbdd5fa5679a7, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@51e76b4113e5147329ed8dd232375bf11fd34044, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51e76b4113e5147329ed8dd232375bf11fd34044
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/213ff02ab26a4543ef02b4db393bbdd5fa5679a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d867b91598b6ed2f75998c34f4e2869631da31e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2294b62eaec6fd3c76a261d287f66641eeafd5f0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d870102b5425390cab42eebbf3d19ec6a43c6734
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19419faf58dfe5bcc8a9e60e622976c5f8e3ddc1
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98798 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98798 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-c3qj-mc3f-4r7r · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98798 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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