CVE-2026-97411
Received Received - Intake

Kernel Hang in IBM EMAC Driver Due to Improper NAPI State Handling

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ibm: emac: mal: fix potential system hang in mal_remove() napi_disable() is not idempotent and calling it on an already-disabled or unenabled NAPI context will cause the kernel to spin indefinitely waiting for the NAPI_STATE_SCHED bit to clear. In mal_remove(), napi_disable() is called unconditionally. If no MACs were registered, NAPI was never enabled. Also, if they were registered but subsequently unregistered, NAPI was already disabled in mal_unregister_commac(). In either case, calling napi_disable() causes the kernel to hang upon module removal. Fix this by only calling napi_disable() in mal_remove() if the commac list is not empty (which implies NAPI is enabled).

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-09-24
Last Modified
2026-09-24
Generated
2026-09-24
AI Q&A
2026-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-97411
EUVD
EUVD-2026-86024

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm emac *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability is in the Linux kernel's IBM EMAC network driver. It involves a potential system hang when removing the mal module. The issue occurs because napi_disable() is called unconditionally in mal_remove(), even when NAPI was never enabled or already disabled. This causes the kernel to spin indefinitely waiting for a bit to clear.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's IBM EMAC driver and may cause a system hang during module removal. Detection requires checking if the affected driver (ibm_emac) is loaded and if the system experiences hangs during module unloading. No direct network detection commands are applicable.

Impact Analysis

If you use a system with the affected IBM EMAC driver, removing the module could cause the entire system to hang. This would require a reboot to recover, potentially leading to downtime and data loss.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the kernel patch that modifies mal_remove() to conditionally call napi_disable() only when the commac list is not empty. Avoid unloading the ibm_emac module unless necessary. Monitor system logs for hangs during module removal.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-97411. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart