In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ethtool: tsinfo: don't pass ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel on prepare failure The… (CVE-2026-63986)
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ethtool component was resolved to prevent passing an error pointer to genlmsg_cancel on prepare failure, which could cause a crash. The issue occurs when ethnl_tsinfo_prepare_dump() fails but genlmsg_cancel() is called incorrectly despite no message having started. This flaw could lead to kernel instability or crashes.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The vulnerability in the Linux kernel relates to the ethtool tsinfo feature where, upon failure in ethnl_tsinfo_prepare_dump(), the error handling code incorrectly calls genlmsg_cancel() with an ERR_PTR argument. Since no generic netlink message was started, passing an error pointer to genlmsg_cancel() causes a crash. The fix prevents passing ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel() when prepare fails, avoiding kernel crashes.
Potential Impact
This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash due to improper error handling in the ethtool tsinfo code path. Such crashes could lead to denial of service conditions on affected systems. There is no indication of code execution or privilege escalation from the provided data.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix has been applied to the Linux kernel to prevent passing ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel() on prepare failure in ethtool tsinfo. Users should update to a kernel version that includes this fix. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the provided data; therefore, check the official Linux kernel advisories or vendor updates for the exact fixed versions and apply them accordingly.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ethtool: tsinfo: don't pass ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel on prepare failure The… (CVE-2026-63986)
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ethtool component was resolved to prevent passing an error pointer to genlmsg_cancel on prepare failure, which could cause a crash. The issue occurs when ethnl_tsinfo_prepare_dump() fails but genlmsg_cancel() is called incorrectly despite no message having started. This flaw could lead to kernel instability or crashes.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability in the Linux kernel relates to the ethtool tsinfo feature where, upon failure in ethnl_tsinfo_prepare_dump(), the error handling code incorrectly calls genlmsg_cancel() with an ERR_PTR argument. Since no generic netlink message was started, passing an error pointer to genlmsg_cancel() causes a crash. The fix prevents passing ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel() when prepare fails, avoiding kernel crashes.
Potential Impact
This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash due to improper error handling in the ethtool tsinfo code path. Such crashes could lead to denial of service conditions on affected systems. There is no indication of code execution or privilege escalation from the provided data.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix has been applied to the Linux kernel to prevent passing ERR_PTR to genlmsg_cancel() on prepare failure in ethtool tsinfo. Users should update to a kernel version that includes this fix. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the provided data; therefore, check the official Linux kernel advisories or vendor updates for the exact fixed versions and apply them accordingly.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- GHSA-rj76-wchj-2f64
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.4.0
- Aliases
- ["CVE-2026-63986"]
- Ecosystems
- []
- Database Specific Severity
- null
- Cvss Version
- null
Threat ID: 6a5d27aa2a4a8d598912dbc6
Added to database: 07/19/2026, 19:38:18 UTC
Last enriched: 07/19/2026, 20:00:31 UTC
Last updated: 07/20/2026, 17:43:41 UTC
Views: 14
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