Vulnerability · Published Sep 25, 2026 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2026-97972net: macb: put the "mdio" child node reference on success
Unrated
In plain English
A security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 6% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
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.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:14 | linux | 7.2.7-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux | 7.0.0-42.42 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-aws | 7.0.0-1016.17 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-azure | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 7.0.0-1016.18 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-gke | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 7.0.0-1017.17 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-bos | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-oem-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.17 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 7.0.0-1015.16 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-7.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-raspi | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | linux-riscv | 7.0.0-42.42.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97972 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 8a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 – before 5fba30080d298edb742396073372385c961578d38a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 – before 7d60dc7ff85b73a2119d582ca2d4456b309603808a6631f1cece09047fa44608d21d520ca65ce7d8 – before 382a373d9ea7a6ac4de9c022385b6217f65ae3cc |
| Linux | Linux | 6.13 |