CVE-2026-97972 (GCVE-0-2026-97972)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-25 10:23 – Updated: 2026-10-19 09:11
VLAI
Title
net: macb: put the "mdio" child node reference on success
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: put the "mdio" child node reference on success macb_mii_init() holds the reference returned by of_get_child_by_name() for macb_mdiobus_register() and drops it only on the error paths, so every successful probe leaks a node reference. On a CM5, overlay removal after four bind cycles reports OF: ERROR: memory leak, expected refcount 1 instead of 5 Drop the reference after registration, where __mdiobus_register() has already taken its own for the lifetime of the bus.
Severity
No CVSS data available.
Assigner
Linux CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard D 53/100 over 6996 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: 8a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 , < 5fba30080d298edb742396073372385c961578d3 (git)
Affected: 8a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 , < 7d60dc7ff85b73a2119d582ca2d4456b30960380 (git)
Affected: 8a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 , < 382a373d9ea7a6ac4de9c022385b6217f65ae3cc (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 6.13
Unaffected: 0 , < 6.13 (semver)
Unaffected: 6.18.53 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2.7 , ≤ 7.2.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.3 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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{
  "containers": {
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        {
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          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c"
          ],
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              "operator": "OR"
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      "descriptions": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet: macb: put the \"mdio\" child node reference on success\n\nmacb_mii_init() holds the reference returned by of_get_child_by_name()\nfor macb_mdiobus_register() and drops it only on the error paths, so\nevery successful probe leaks a node reference. On a CM5, overlay\nremoval after four bind cycles reports\n\n  OF: ERROR: memory leak, expected refcount 1 instead of 5\n\nDrop the reference after registration, where __mdiobus_register() has\nalready taken its own for the lifetime of the bus."
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T09:11:38.115Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
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          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d60dc7ff85b73a2119d582ca2d4456b30960380"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/382a373d9ea7a6ac4de9c022385b6217f65ae3cc"
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      "title": "net: macb: put the \"mdio\" child node reference on success",
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  "cveMetadata": {
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    "cveId": "CVE-2026-97972",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-25T10:23:12.139Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-25T10:18:58.207Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T09:11:38.115Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
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      "percentile": "0.05456"
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                ],
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        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet: macb: put the \"mdio\" child node reference on success\n\nmacb_mii_init() holds the reference returned by of_get_child_by_name()\nfor macb_mdiobus_register() and drops it only on the error paths, so\nevery successful probe leaks a node reference. On a CM5, overlay\nremoval after four bind cycles reports\n\n  OF: ERROR: memory leak, expected refcount 1 instead of 5\n\nDrop the reference after registration, where __mdiobus_register() has\nalready taken its own for the lifetime of the bus."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-97972",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-19T10:17:48.580",
        "metrics": {},
        "published": "2026-09-25T11:17:25.090",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
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      "cve": "CVE-2026-97972",
      "id": "CVE-2026-97972",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-09-25T00:00:00+00:00",
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      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: net: macb: put the \"mdio\" child node reference on success",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-97972.json",
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      "cve": "CVE-2026-97972",
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      "title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2026-97972",
      "url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2026-97972.json",
      "version": "2"
    }
  }
}



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