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.

No CVSS v4.0

No CVSS v3.1

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
Linux Linux unaffected
Version Status Constraints
9dd2ad5e92b962d1349a7541d167e8e214e49f95 affected < 3586924625559e6f9876d726c80ff0a75f0d5849
9dd2ad5e92b962d1349a7541d167e8e214e49f95 affected < 17fe2381f967d353183f374a1c0181a6d194158c
9dd2ad5e92b962d1349a7541d167e8e214e49f95 affected < e3adf69f8eb121a9128c2b0029efd050d3649153
Linux Linux affected
Version Status Constraints
6.16 affected —
0 unaffected < 6.16
6.18.34 unaffected ≤ 6.18.*
7.0.11 unaffected ≤ 7.0.*
7.1 unaffected ≤ *

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References
Link Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17fe2381f967d353183f374a1c0181a6d194158c cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3586924625559e6f9876d726c80ff0a75f0d5849 cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3adf69f8eb121a9128c2b0029efd050d3649153 cve-icon
History

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title net: ethtool: phy: avoid NULL deref when PHY driver is unbound
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-24T15:23:11.510Z

Reserved: 2026-07-19T15:36:31.771Z

Link: CVE-2026-64228

cve-icon Vulnrichment

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cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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