CVE-2026-99078: net/mlx5e: Prevent stale XSK buffer release on MPWQE refill retry

Q: Which systems are exposed to this issue?

The issue applies to mlx5e receive paths using AF_XDP with a striding receive queue (RQ). The affected sequence involves MPWQE refill handling for XSK buffers.

Q: What condition triggers the stale buffer release?

An XSK buffer allocation must fail with -ENOMEM while refilling an MPWQE, leaving the work-queue head unchanged. A later NAPI poll then retries the same WQE and can release stale buffer pointers again after those frames have returned to and potentially been reallocated from the XSK pool.

Published Oct 23, 2026

Updated

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

net/mlx5e: Prevent stale XSK buffer release on MPWQE refill retry

With AFXDP on a striding RQ, mlx5e defers releasing XSK buffers until an MPWQE is refilled. If XSK allocation then returns -ENOMEM, actualwqhead is not advanced and a later NAPI poll retries the same WQE.

mlx5efreerxmpwqe() leaves each released slot marked as releasable. On retry it can therefore call xskbufffree() again through stale pointers after the frames have returned to the XSK pool and been reallocated.

Set all skipreleasebitmap bits in the common error path of mlx5exskallocrxmpwqe(). This matches mlx5eallocrxmpwqe(). A successful allocation already clears the bitmap after replacing every buffer, so retries become idempotent without changing the success path.

Fault injection forced three consecutive failures for one selected MPWQE. Both an early allocation failure and a partial 8-of-16-buffer unwind released the original 16 XSK buffers only once. Each error left a full bitmap, the following NAPI retry skipped the release, and a later successful allocation cleared it. A 20-second AFXDP zero-copy pressure run exercised 1,575,262 buffer allocation failures without invalid descriptors, WQE errors, or kernel warnings.

Affected Software

166 affected componentsFixes available

Linux Linux kernel

All of the following

azurelinux/kernel<6.6.161.1-1

6.6.161.1-1

Microsoft Azure Linux=3.0

ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-azure*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*

ubuntu/linux-gcp*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*

ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-hwe*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*

ubuntu/linux-oem*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-gke*

ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-raspi2*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8<6.8.0-1069.74~22.04.1

6.8.0-1069.74~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8<6.8.0-1073.82~22.04.1

6.8.0-1073.82~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8<6.8.0-1071.78~22.04.1

6.8.0-1071.78~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8<6.8.0-1073.81~22.04.1

6.8.0-1073.81~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8<6.8.0-1069.70~22.04.1

6.8.0-1069.70~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8<6.8.0-149.149.1~22.04.1

6.8.0-149.149.1~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8<6.8.0-1067.71~22.04.1

6.8.0-1067.71~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8<6.8.0-149.149~22.04.2

6.8.0-149.149~22.04.2

ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8<6.8.1-1064.65~22.04.1

6.8.1-1064.65~22.04.1

ubuntu/linux<6.8.0-149.149

6.8.0-149.149

ubuntu/linux-aws<6.8.0-1069.74

6.8.0-1069.74

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0<7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1

7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1073.82

6.8.0-1073.82

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0<7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1

7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*

ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1073.81

6.8.0-1073.81

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0<7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1

7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-gke<6.8.0-1068.77

6.8.0-1068.77

ubuntu/linux-gkeop<6.8.0-1053.57

6.8.0-1053.57

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0*

ubuntu/linux-ibm<6.8.0-1069.70

6.8.0-1069.70

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<6.8.0-149.149.1

6.8.0-149.149.1

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia<6.8.0-1067.70

6.8.0-1067.70

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1067.71

6.8.0-1067.71

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0<7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1

7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-raspi<6.8.0-1068.72

6.8.0-1068.72

ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0<7.0.0-43.43.1~24.04.2

7.0.0-43.43.1~24.04.2

ubuntu/linux-vmware<6.8.0-1010.10

6.8.0-1010.10

ubuntu/linux-xilinx*

ubuntu/linux-bluefield<6.8.0-1036.41

6.8.0-1036.41

ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime<6.8.0-2056.58

6.8.0-2056.58

ubuntu/linux-realtime<6.8.1-1064.65

6.8.1-1064.65

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<6.8.0-1069.74+fips1

6.8.0-1069.74+fips1

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<6.8.0-1073.82+fips1

6.8.0-1073.82+fips1

ubuntu/linux-fips*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<6.8.0-1073.81+fips1

6.8.0-1073.81+fips1

ubuntu/linux<7.0.0-43.43

7.0.0-43.43

ubuntu/linux-aws<7.0.0-1017.18

7.0.0-1017.18

ubuntu/linux-azure<7.0.0-1020.21

7.0.0-1020.21

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<7.0.0-1019.19

7.0.0-1019.19

ubuntu/linux-gcp<7.0.0-1017.19

7.0.0-1017.19

ubuntu/linux-gke<7.0.0-1010.11

7.0.0-1010.11

ubuntu/linux-ibm<7.0.0-1018.18

7.0.0-1018.18

ubuntu/linux-nvidia*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bos*

ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0<7.0.0-1018.18

7.0.0-1018.18

ubuntu/linux-oracle<7.0.0-1016.18

7.0.0-1016.18

ubuntu/linux-raspi*

ubuntu/linux-realtime<7.0.0-43.43.1

7.0.0-43.43.1

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-vmware*

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

Upgrade
Upgrade azurelinux/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.6.161.1-1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.74~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.82~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.78~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.81~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.70~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-149.149.1~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.71~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-149.149~22.04.2
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.1-1064.65~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-149.149
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.74
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.82
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.81
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1068.77
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1053.57
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.70
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-149.149.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.71
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1068.72
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-43.43.1~24.04.2
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-vmware to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1010.10
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1036.41
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-2056.58
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.1-1064.65
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.74+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.82+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1073.81+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-43.43
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.18
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1020.21
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1019.19
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.19
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1010.11
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1018.18
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1018.18
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.18
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-43.43.1

Event History

Oct 23, 2026

CVE Published

via MITRE·12:23 PM

Data Sourced

via MITRE·12:23 PM

DescriptionSeverity

Data Sourced

via OSV·01:17 PM

DescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Data Sourced

via NVD·01:17 PM

DescriptionSeverity

Oct 25, 2026

Data Sourced

via Microsoft·08:05 AM

DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems are exposed to this issue?

The issue applies to mlx5e receive paths using AF_XDP with a striding receive queue (RQ). The affected sequence involves MPWQE refill handling for XSK buffers.

What condition triggers the stale buffer release?

An XSK buffer allocation must fail with -ENOMEM while refilling an MPWQE, leaving the work-queue head unchanged. A later NAPI poll then retries the same WQE and can release stale buffer pointers again after those frames have returned to and potentially been reallocated from the XSK pool.

CVE-2026-99078: net/mlx5e: Prevent stale XSK buffer release on MPWQE refill retry

Affected Software

Remediation

Event History

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems are exposed to this issue?

What condition triggers the stale buffer release?

Company

Resources

Contact