GHSA-J42X-6WFG-QVW7
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-10-18 18:31 – Updated: 2026-10-18 18:31In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: ethtool: keep rtnl_lock for the ioctl self test
An offline self test that brings the interface down and back up with netif_close() / netif_open() requires rtnl_lock for both. Since the ethtool IOCTL path became rtnl-optional for ops-locked drivers, the ETHTOOL_TEST ioctl runs holding only the netdev instance lock, so on an ops-locked driver the self test now tears the device down without rtnl_lock.
With lockdep this reproduces deterministically on every offline self test on such a driver; note the sole lock held is the instance lock, not rtnl:
WARNING: suspicious RCU usage net/core/netpoll.c:207 suspicious rcu_dereference_protected() usage! 1 lock held by ethtool/107: #0: (&dev->lock){+.+.}, at: dev_ethtool Call Trace: netpoll_poll_disable __dev_close_many netif_close_many netif_close fbnic_self_test dev_ethtool_locked dev_ethtool dev_ioctl sock_ioctl __x64_sys_ioctl
Without lockdep the same condition trips ASSERT_RTNL() in __dev_close_many() / __dev_open(); that check only samples the global rtnl state, so it can be masked by a concurrent rtnl holder, but the device is still being reconfigured without the lock it requires.
The ethtool self_test is a legacy ioctl-only command, so an ETHTOOL_TEST case is only needed on the ioctl path. Add an opt-in bit for drivers whose self test needs rtnl_lock and set it on the ops-locked drivers whose offline self test tears the interface down and up:
- fbnic (ops-locked via queue_mgmt_ops): fbnic_self_test() offline path uses netif_close() / netif_open().
- bnxt (ops-locked via queue_mgmt_ops): bnxt_self_test() offline path goes through bnxt_close_nic() / bnxt_half_open_nic() / bnxt_half_close_nic() / bnxt_open_nic(), which close and reopen the device.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-98619"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-10-18T16:17:14Z",
"severity": null
},
"details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet: ethtool: keep rtnl_lock for the ioctl self test\n\nAn offline self test that brings the interface down and back up with\nnetif_close() / netif_open() requires rtnl_lock for both. Since the\nethtool IOCTL path became rtnl-optional for ops-locked drivers, the\nETHTOOL_TEST ioctl runs holding only the netdev instance lock, so on an\nops-locked driver the self test now tears the device down without\nrtnl_lock.\n\nWith lockdep this reproduces deterministically on every offline self\ntest on such a driver; note the sole lock held is the instance lock, not\nrtnl:\n\n WARNING: suspicious RCU usage\n net/core/netpoll.c:207 suspicious rcu_dereference_protected() usage!\n 1 lock held by ethtool/107:\n #0: (\u0026dev-\u003elock){+.+.}, at: dev_ethtool\n Call Trace:\n netpoll_poll_disable\n __dev_close_many\n netif_close_many\n netif_close\n fbnic_self_test\n dev_ethtool_locked\n dev_ethtool\n dev_ioctl\n sock_ioctl\n __x64_sys_ioctl\n\nWithout lockdep the same condition trips ASSERT_RTNL() in\n__dev_close_many() / __dev_open(); that check only samples the global\nrtnl state, so it can be masked by a concurrent rtnl holder, but the\ndevice is still being reconfigured without the lock it requires.\n\nThe ethtool self_test is a legacy ioctl-only command, so an ETHTOOL_TEST\ncase is only needed on the ioctl path. Add an opt-in bit for drivers whose\nself test needs rtnl_lock and set it on the ops-locked drivers whose\noffline self test tears the interface down and up:\n\n - fbnic (ops-locked via queue_mgmt_ops): fbnic_self_test() offline path\n uses netif_close() / netif_open().\n - bnxt (ops-locked via queue_mgmt_ops): bnxt_self_test() offline path\n goes through bnxt_close_nic() / bnxt_half_open_nic() /\n bnxt_half_close_nic() / bnxt_open_nic(), which close and reopen the\n device.",
"id": "GHSA-j42x-6wfg-qvw7",
"modified": "2026-10-18T18:31:56Z",
"published": "2026-10-18T18:31:56Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98619"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b82958f3f035df5ccaab5430a2302f08a5d5351"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ca1503491f1f25a954c13ac5775bf6775c5abc8"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
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