In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfc: trf7970a: power down on startup RX gain failure trf7970a_startup() powers… (CVE-2026-98480)

The Linux kernel NFC driver for the trf7970a device had a flaw in the startup sequence where powering up the device occurred before applying RX gain reduction. If a register operation failed, the function would return without powering down, causing unbalanced power enable signals and leaving the device powered on incorrectly. The probe's unwind process did not address this additional power-up, and system resume also lacked power-down on this error path. The resolution involves calling trf7970a_power_down() before returning on RX gain error to properly release power references and disable GPIOs, preserving the original SPI error. This issue was identified through static analysis research.

The impact is improper power state management of the trf7970a NFC device in the Linux kernel, potentially leading to hardware being left powered on unintentionally. This could cause increased power consumption or hardware state inconsistencies. There is no indication of direct security compromise or exploitation in the wild.

A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to call trf7970a_power_down() on RX gain errors during startup, ensuring proper power-down and state restoration. Users should update to the kernel version containing this fix once it is released. No additional mitigation is indicated.