Vulnerability Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethtool: phy: avoid NULL deref when PHY driver is unbound phydev->drv can become NULL while the phy_device is still attached to its net_device, namely after the PHY driver is unbound via sysfs: echo <mdio_id> > /sys/bus/mdio_bus/drivers/<phy_drv>/unbind phy_remove() clears phydev->drv but doesn't call phy_detach(), so the phy_device stays in the link topology xarray and ethnl_req_get_phydev() still hands it back. ETHTOOL_MSG_PHY_GET then oopses on: rep_data->drvname = kstrdup(phydev->drv->name, GFP_KERNEL); drvname is already treated as optional by phy_reply_size(), phy_fill_reply() and phy_cleanup_data(), so just skip the allocation when there is no driver bound.
CVSS Score
MEDIUM
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel | >= 6.16, < 6.18.34 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17fe2381f967d353183f374a1c0181a6d194158cPatchMitigation
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3586924625559e6f9876d726c80ff0a75f0d5849Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3adf69f8eb121a9128c2b0029efd050d3649153Patch
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-64228?
CVE-2026-64228 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethtool: phy: avoid NULL deref when PHY driver is unbound phydev->drv can become NULL while the phy_device is still attached ...
How severe is CVE-2026-64228?
CVE-2026-64228 has been rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.5/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-64228?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Linux Linux Kernel.