In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tg3: clean up PHYLIB resources on probe failure tg3_get_invariants() can… (CVE-2026-98594)

The Linux kernel tg3 driver had a resource management vulnerability where PHYLIB resources were not properly cleaned up on probe failure. Specifically, tg3_get_invariants() registers an MDIO bus and connects a PHY for USE_PHYLIB devices, but if tg3_init_one() fails later, the error handling path releases mappings and netdev without undoing PHYLIB resources. The patch introduces disconnection of the PHY and unregistration of the MDIO bus before teardown, with guards to ensure safe cleanup even if initialization was partial. This issue was found during static analysis of kernel code.

The vulnerability could lead to resource leaks in the kernel's tg3 driver during device initialization failures. While the description does not specify direct security impact such as code execution or denial of service, improper cleanup could potentially affect system stability or reliability.

A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to properly clean up PHYLIB resources on probe failure in the tg3 driver. Users should update to the fixed kernel version once available. Since this is a kernel-level fix, applying the official kernel update from the vendor or distribution is the recommended remediation.