CVE-2026-98050 — mlxsw: spectrum_ptp: Fix napi_gro_receive() call from GC workqueue context
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mlxsw: spectrum_ptp: Fix napi_gro_receive() call from GC workqueue context Currently mlxsw_sp1_ptp_ht_gc_collect() is run from the PTP garbage-collection workqueue, rather than the NAPI poll context. For any unmatched PTP entries carrying an SKB, it calls mlxsw_sp1_ptp_unmatched_finish() -> mlxsw_sp1_ptp_packet_finish(). For ingress packets, this calls mlxsw_sp_rx_listener_no_mark_func(). The end of that function is the following: skb->protocol = eth_type_trans(skb, skb->dev); napi_gro_receive(mlxsw_skb_cb(skb)->rx_md_info.napi, skb); The napi pointer is one that was placed in the SKB control block when the trapped packet was received in the NAPI context. Later, when the GC reaps the unmatched entry (up to MLXSW_SP1_PTP_HT_GC_TIMEOUT later), the call to napi_gro_receive() mutates the NAPI instance's GRO list, which is unsafe if the poll is running concurrently on another CPU. In mlxsw_sp1_ptp_ht_gc_collect(), local_bh_disable() is called to prevent softirq processing, but this only applies to the local CPU. Additionally, its comment is stale. It states that mlxsw_sp1_ptp_unmatched_finish() invokes netif_receive_skb(). This has not been accurate since the referenced commit; this patch makes that comment accurate again. mlxsw_pci_napi_devs_init() calls netif_threaded_enable() on the NAPI RX net_device without any conditions. The NAPI instance's poll, which may be running concurrent to the GC, is running as an independently-scheduled kthread which may be on a different CPU. The call to local_bh_disable() does not guard against this. If a tx-timestamp timeout produces an unmatched entry (which can be easily reproduced by running ptp4l and waiting for a port to reach the UNCALIBRATED/SLAVE state) while the owning NAPI thread is in the middle of a poll on another CPU, both sides mutate the GRO list concurrently, as shown below: [39.846] port 1 (swp1): MASTER to UNCALIBRATED on RS_SLAVE list_add corruption. next->prev should be prev (ffff8d620faf4138), but was ffff8d624150f700. (next=ffff8d620faf4138). kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:29! Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] SMP PTI CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 539 Comm: napi/mlxsw_rx-0 Not tainted 6.18.48 #1-NixOS PREEMPT(lazy) Hardware name: Mellanox Technologies Ltd. MSN2410/VMOD0001, BIOS 4.6.5 09/13/2018 RIP: 0010:__list_add_valid_or_report+0x79/0xb0 RSP: 0018:ffffcdf8c0f27c08 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000075 RBX: ffff8d624150fd00 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000001 RDI: ffff8d6315d1e540 RBP: ffff8d620faf4070 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 00000000ffffdfff R10: ffffffffa5c60fe0 R11: ffffcdf8c0f27ab8 R12: 0000000000000003 R13: 000000000000003d R14: 00000000000001bc R15: 0000000000000001 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8d636f63f000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000562689a60c24 CR3: 000000015f224004 CR4: 00000000001726f0 Call Trace: <TASK> gro_receive_skb+0xee/0x230 mlxsw_sp1_ptp_got_packet+0x61/0x140 [mlxsw_spectrum] mlxsw_core_skb_receive+0xdf/0x1b0 [mlxsw_core] mlxsw_pci_napi_poll_cq_rx+0x780/0x9d0 [mlxsw_pci] __napi_poll+0x31/0x1e0 napi_threaded_poll_loop+0x16b/0x1c0 napi_threaded_poll+0x71/0xa0 kthread+0xfb/0x260 ret_from_fork+0x22d/0x260 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 </TASK> Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt The machinery that leads to this kernel panic has not been changed between 6.18.48 and mainline. This patch adds an ingress-delivery helper for the PTP packet_finish() path that calls netif_receive_skb() instead of napi_gro_receive(). netif_receive_skb(), unlike napi_gro_receive(), can be called from outside of the NAPI instance's poll context, which can occur at the call site for this path. RX stats accounting and the skb->dev assignment are still preserved; the only change is the delivery call itself. This removes GR ---truncated---
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (logic error), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ 1ba06ca96ca255c079ce5ea6a75cc0bfd5e97921 and < 4375b3d1c2898886df1f908160c7004bdd938e73≥ 1ba06ca96ca255c079ce5ea6a75cc0bfd5e97921 and < 7ddcc460176eb34f9bc5bda3cc274d0d24dc62a9≥ 1ba06ca96ca255c079ce5ea6a75cc0bfd5e97921 and < 2ac174dfcdde399fa95ba889541fb5e688d8bb35version 6.14 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.14 and < 6.18.53≥ 6.19 and < 7.2.7version 7.3-rc1version 7.3-rc2 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.6 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
3 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
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- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 2d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-98050 is "mlxsw: spectrum_ptp: Fix napi_gro_receive() call from GC workqueue context", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.17% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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