CVE-2026-97981: Linux kernel · net: ethernet: cortina: Count dropped frames as NAPI work
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 7% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 Sep 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to address this vulnerability by adjusting the NAPI work budget accounting. Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this patch for the affected versions. No additional mitigation steps are indicated by the vendor advisory.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ethernet cortina driver was resolved by changing how dropped frames are counted as NAPI work. Previously, the RX loop only consumed budget when successfully delivering a frame, allowing error paths to consume descriptors without reducing the budget. This could let a stream of bad frames process the entire receive ring in one poll. The fix moves budget accounting to a common end-of-frame path, counting each completed frame as NAPI work whether delivered or dropped.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-97981 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97981 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cceb6cd7f0e5ed2944a9ca22443d7b9da82f60ab (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b856c552f556bc0341c1dbe0bf88e630fd1dc4b7 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/58140f1cebb776d174dc6ff41c15401654a5b1ea (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5754e0c0758805096ecfeaf4c1b146ad51ed246f (opens in a new tab)
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97981 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/27b5753077d1cfda5fe201d2ba602de76a9a09b1 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/620b7184808b25cf58268856f892b9ba83c181fd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9620e2ce9b5998ebbf157241f296f8ddb92285c2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e858b9b1ea3cbbc353189d07dec40dc16967e290 (opens in a new tab)