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CVE Record

CVE-2026-23035: net/mlx5e: Pass netdev to mlx5e_destroy_netdev instead of priv

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Pass netdev to mlx5e_destroy_netdev instead of priv mlx5e_priv is an unstable structure that can be memset(0) if profile attaching fails. Pass netdev to mlx5e_destroy_netdev() to guarantee it will work on a valid netdev. On mlx5e_remove: Check validity of priv->profile, before attempting to cleanup any resources that might be not there. This fixes a kernel oops in mlx5e_remove when switchdev mode fails due to change profile failure. $ devlink dev eswitch set pci/0000:00:03.0 mode switchdev Error: mlx5_core: Failed setting eswitch to offloads. dmesg: workqueue: Failed to create a rescuer kthread for wq "mlx5e": -EINTR mlx5_core 0012:03:00.1: mlx5e_netdev_init_profile:6214:(pid 37199): mlx5e_priv_init failed, err=-12 mlx5_core 0012:03:00.1 gpu3rdma1: mlx5e_netdev_change_profile: new profile init failed, -12 workqueue: Failed to create a rescuer kthread for wq "mlx5e": -EINTR mlx5_core 0012:03:00.1: mlx5e_netdev_init_profile:6214:(pid 37199): mlx5e_priv_init failed, err=-12 mlx5_core 0012:03:00.1 gpu3rdma1: mlx5e_netdev_change_profile: failed to rollback to orig profile, -12 $ devlink dev reload pci/0000:00:03.0 ==> oops BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000370 PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI CPU: 15 UID: 0 PID: 520 Comm: devlink Not tainted 6.18.0-rc5+ #115 PREEMPT(voluntary) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.3-2.fc40 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:mlx5e_dcbnl_dscp_app+0x23/0x100 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000083f8b8 EFLAGS: 00010286 RAX: ffff8881126fc380 RBX: ffff8881015ac400 RCX: ffffffff826ffc45 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000001 RDI: ffff8881035109c0 RBP: ffff8881035109c0 R08: ffff888101e3e838 R09: ffff888100264e10 R10: ffffc9000083f898 R11: ffffc9000083f8a0 R12: ffff888101b921a0 R13: ffff888101b921a0 R14: ffff8881015ac9a0 R15: ffff8881015ac400 FS: 00007f789a3c8740(0000) GS:ffff88856aa59000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000000000370 CR3: 000000010b6c0001 CR4: 0000000000370ef0 Call Trace: <TASK> mlx5e_remove+0x57/0x110 device_release_driver_internal+0x19c/0x200 bus_remove_device+0xc6/0x130 device_del+0x160/0x3d0 ? devl_param_driverinit_value_get+0x2d/0x90 mlx5_detach_device+0x89/0xe0 mlx5_unload_one_devl_locked+0x3a/0x70 mlx5_devlink_reload_down+0xc8/0x220 devlink_reload+0x7d/0x260 devlink_nl_reload_doit+0x45b/0x5a0 genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xe8/0x140

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel crash bug in the mlx5e network driver. Under a failed switchdev profile change, later device reload can dereference invalid driver state and trigger a kernel oops. Business impact is mainly availability on hosts using mlx5e-capable networking, not documented data exposure.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted availability risk for specialized Linux networking hosts. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with higher priority for virtualization, storage, GPU/RDMA, or network infrastructure nodes using mlx5e.

Technical view

The bug is in mlx5e teardown after profile attach failure. The source says mlx5e_priv may be zeroed, so destroy should use a valid netdev and mlx5e_remove should check priv->profile before cleanup. The observed failure is a NULL pointer dereference during devlink reload after switchdev mode failure.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems with the mlx5e driver, typically Mellanox/NVIDIA mlx5 adapters, where switchdev/offload profile changes and devlink reload paths are used. The supplied data does not identify remote attack reachability.

Exploitation context

The source shows a local administrative devlink sequence producing a kernel oops after a failed switchdev transition. KEV is false, and the bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a teardown-state bug, not a general remote compromise. The provided affected-version data is sparse and lacks CVSS. Do not infer exploitability beyond the documented devlink/switchdev failure and reload path.

Mitigation direction

  • Check vendor kernel advisories for CVE-2026-23035 and applicable fixed packages.
  • Prioritize patching hosts using mlx5e, switchdev, SR-IOV, RDMA, or network offloads.
  • Avoid unnecessary switchdev profile changes on affected systems until patched.
  • Plan maintenance windows for network hosts where a kernel oops would disrupt workloads.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions and loaded mlx5e/mlx5_core modules.
  • Identify hosts with mlx5 hardware and devlink switchdev/offload usage.
  • Confirm whether vendor kernel builds include the referenced stable fixes.
  • Review logs for mlx5e profile-change failures followed by kernel oops events.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

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Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxc4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97eunaffected
LinuxLinux5.12, 0, 6.12.67, 6.18.7, 6.19affected
Weakness

CWE details

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