CVE-2026-31691: igb: remove napi_synchronize() in igb_down()

Published Apr 27, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

igb: remove napisynchronize() in igbdown()

When an AFXDP zero-copy application terminates abruptly (e.g., kill -9), the XSK buffer pool is destroyed but NAPI polling continues. igbcleanrxirqzc() repeatedly returns the full budget, preventing napicompletedone() from clearing NAPISTATESCHED.

igbdown() calls napisynchronize() before napidisable() for each queue vector. napisynchronize() spins waiting for NAPISTATESCHED to clear, which never happens. igbdown() blocks indefinitely, the TX watchdog fires, and the TX queue remains permanently stalled.

napidisable() already handles this correctly: it sets NAPISTATEDISABLE. After a full-budget poll, napipoll() checks napidisablepending(). If set, it forces completion and clears NAPISTATESCHED, breaking the loop that napisynchronize() cannot.

napisynchronize() was added in commit 41f149a285da ("igb: Fix possible panic caused by Rx traffic arrival while interface is down"). napidisable() provides stronger guarantees: it prevents further scheduling and waits for any active poll to exit. Other Intel drivers (ixgbe, ice, i40e) use napidisable() without a preceding napisynchronize() in their down paths.

Remove redundant napisynchronize() call and reorder napidisable() before igbsetqueuenapi() so the queue-to-NAPI mapping is only cleared after polling has fully stopped.

Affected Software

10 affected components
Intel igb (Linux kernel driver)
Linux Linux kernel>=6.14<6.18.23
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.13
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc7

Event History

Apr 27, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:34 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:34 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:16 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-31691?

CVE-2026-31691 has a severity rating that indicates it could impact system performance during abrupt application terminations.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-31691?

To mitigate CVE-2026-31691, users should ensure they are running an updated version of the Intel igb Linux kernel driver that includes the security fix.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-31691?

CVE-2026-31691 affects systems using the Intel igb Linux kernel driver.

4

Can CVE-2026-31691 lead to data loss?

Yes, CVE-2026-31691 may potentially lead to data loss if applications using AF_XDP terminate unexpectedly.

5

Is CVE-2026-31691 related to network performance?

Yes, CVE-2026-31691 involves NAPI polling in the Intel igb driver, which can impact network performance during abnormal application shutdowns.

Contact

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