CVE-2026-23017: idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-01-31 · updated 2026-10-21
Weakness: CWE-476

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load If the init_task fails during a driver load, we end up without vports and netdevs, effectively failing the entire process. In that state a subsequent reset will result in a crash as the service task attempts to access uninitialized resources. Following trace is from an error in the init_task where the CREATE_VPORT (op 501) is rejected by the FW: [40922.763136] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Device HW Reset initiated [40924.449797] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Transaction failed (op 501) [40958.148190] idpf 0000:83:00.0: HW reset detected [40958.161202] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000a8 ... [40958.168094] Workqueue: idpf-0000:83:00.0-vc_event idpf_vc_event_task [idpf] [40958.168865] RIP: 0010:idpf_vc_event_task+0x9b/0x350 [idpf] ... [40958.177932] Call Trace: [40958.178491] <TASK> [40958.179040] process_one_work+0x226/0x6d0 [40958.179609] worker_thread+0x19e/0x340 [40958.180158] ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 [40958.180702] kthread+0x10f/0x250 [40958.181238] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [40958.181774] ret_from_fork+0x251/0x2b0 [40958.182307] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [40958.182834] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 [40958.183370] </TASK> Fix the error handling in the init_task to make sure the service and mailbox tasks are disabled if the error happens during load. These are started in idpf_vc_core_init(), which spawns the init_task and has no way of knowing if it failed. If the error happens on reset, following successful driver load, the tasks can still run, as that will allow the netdevs to attempt recovery through another reset. Stop the PTP callbacks either way as those will be restarted by the call to idpf_vc_core_init() during a successful reset.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 6.7.1 before 6.18.6; 6.7, 6.19-rc1, 6.19-rc2, 6.19-rc3, 6.19-rc4, 6.19-rc5 (+3) — fixed in 6.18.6

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 6.18.6. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

Get alerted when CVE-2026-23017 or the next vulnerability affects your stack