UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97973: Low severity ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: destroy the phylink instance on the probe error path macbmiiinit() creates a phylink instance on both of its success paths, but the probe unwind frees the netdev without destroying it, so a failing macballoctieoff() or registernetdev() leaks the instance. Destroy it at erroutunregistermdio, which is only reachable once macbmiiinit() has succeeded, so bp->phylink is valid there.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.17 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.18 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-ibmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.16 - Upgrade
Upgrade
ubuntu/linux-riscvto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42.1 - Compensating control
In the macb probe error path, destroy the phylink instance at err_out_unregister_mdio(), which is reachable only after macb_mii_init() succeeds and bp->phylink is valid.
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ubuntu kernel packages are listed as affected?
The listed packages are ubuntu/linux, ubuntu/linux-realtime, ubuntu/linux-azure, ubuntu/linux-gcp, ubuntu/linux-azure-fde, ubuntu/linux-gke, ubuntu/linux-riscv, and ubuntu/linux-gkeop.
Does this issue require a probe failure to occur?
Yes. The leak occurs when macb_mii_init() has created a phylink instance and a later macb_alloc_tieoff() or register_netdev() operation fails during probe unwinding. A successful probe path does not reach the affected cleanup path.