Medium 5.5Published Jan 31, 2026

CVE-2026-23017idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load

Updated under an hour ago (Oct 26, 2026, 10:10 AM ET)

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In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load If the init_task fails during a driver load, we end up without vports and netdevs, effectively failing the entire process. In that state a subsequent reset will result in a crash as the service task attempts to access uninitialized resources. Following trace is from an error in the init_task where the CREATE_VPORT (op 501) is rejected by the FW: [40922.763136] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Device HW Reset initiated [40924.449797] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Transaction failed (op 501) [40958.148190] idpf 0000:83:00.0: HW reset detected [40958.161202] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000a8 ... [40958.168094] Workqueue: idpf-0000:83:00.0-vc_event idpf_vc_event_task [idpf] [40958.168865] RIP: 0010:idpf_vc_event_task+0x9b/0x350 [idpf] ... [40958.177932] Call Trace: [40958.178491] <TASK> [40958.179040] process_one_work+0x226/0x6d0 [40958.179609] worker_thread+0x19e/0x340 [40958.180158] ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 [40958.180702] kthread+0x10f/0x250 [40958.181238] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [40958.181774] ret_from_fork+0x251/0x2b0 [40958.182307] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [40958.182834] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 [40958.183370] </TASK> Fix the error handling in the init_task to make sure the service and mailbox tasks are disabled if the error happens during load. These are started in idpf_vc_core_init(), which spawns the init_task and has no way of knowing if it failed. If the error happens on reset, following successful driver load, the tasks can still run, as that will allow the netdevs to attempt recovery through another reset. Stop the PTP callbacks either way as those will be restarted by the call to idpf_vc_core_init() during a successful reset.

CVSS: 5.5 MEDIUM (v3.1, NVD)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness (CWE): Not given
Known exploited: Not in CISA's KEV catalog
EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days): Not loaded for this CVE
Assigned by: Linux
NVD analysis: Modified
Record last updated: Oct 21, 2026
First seen by InfoSec Signals: Oct 9, 2026

Affected products

Affected products

Linux Linux linux:linux (from the name)	from 0fe45467a1041ea3657a7fa3a791c84c104fbd34 before f32ae3cfc976074e9c5927893ce49bcf12f53748; from 0fe45467a1041ea3657a7fa3a791c84c104fbd34 before a514c374edcd33581cdcccf8faa7cc606a600319; from 0fe45467a1041ea3657a7fa3a791c84c104fbd34 before 4d792219fe6f891b5b557a607ac8a0a14eda6e38	CNA record
linux linux_kernel linux:linux_kernel	from 6.7.1 before 6.18.6; 6.7; 6.19; 6.19; 6.19; 6.19; 6.19; 6.19; and 2 more ranges	NVD

References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f32ae3cfc976074e9c5927893ce49bcf12f53748
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a514c374edcd33581cdcccf8faa7cc606a600319patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d792219fe6f891b5b557a607ac8a0a14eda6e38patch

The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry

The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.