CVE-2025-39769 bnxt_en: Fix lockdep warning during rmmod

Medium 5.5 Published 11 Sep 2025 Updated 11 May 2026

A lockdep warning in the bnxt_en driver during module removal can cause a kernel warning, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2025-39769?

CVE-2025-39769 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 11 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bnxt_en: Fix lockdep warning during rmmod

The commit under the Fixes tag added a netdev_assert_locked() in bnxt_free_ntp_fltrs(). The lock should be held during normal run-time but the assert will be triggered (see below) during bnxt_remove_one() which should not need the lock. The netdev is already unregistered by then. Fix it by calling netdev_assert_locked_or_invisible() which will not assert if the netdev is unregistered.

WARNING: CPU: 5 PID: 2241 at ./include/net/netdev_lock.h:17 bnxt_free_ntp_fltrs+0xf8/0x100 [bnxt_en] Modules linked in: rpcrdma rdma_cm iw_cm ib_cm configfs ib_core bnxt_en(-) bridge stp llc x86_pkg_temp_thermal xfs tg3 [last unloaded: bnxt_re] CPU: 5 UID: 0 PID: 2241 Comm: rmmod Tainted: G S W 6.16.0 #2 PREEMPT(voluntary) Tainted: [S]=CPU_OUT_OF_SPEC, [W]=WARN Hardware name: Dell Inc. PowerEdge R730/072T6D, BIOS 2.4.3 01/17/2017 RIP: 0010:bnxt_free_ntp_fltrs+0xf8/0x100 [bnxt_en] Code: 41 5c 41 5d 41 5e 41 5f c3 cc cc cc cc 48 8b 47 60 be ff ff ff ff 48 8d b8 28 0c 00 00 e8 d0 cf 41 c3 85 c0 0f 85 2e ff ff ff <0f> 0b e9 27 ff ff ff 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 RSP: 0018:ffffa92082387da0 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff9e5b593d8000 RCX: 0000000000000001 RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: ffffffff83dc9a70 RDI: ffffffff83e1a1cf RBP: ffff9e5b593d8c80 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffffff8373a2b3 R10: 000000008100009f R11: 0000000000000001 R12: 0000000000000001 R13: ffffffffc01c4478 R14: dead000000000122 R15: dead000000000100 FS: 00007f3a8a52c740(0000) GS:ffff9e631ad1c000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 000055bb289419c8 CR3: 000000011274e001 CR4: 00000000003706f0 Call Trace: <TASK> bnxt_remove_one+0x57/0x180 [bnxt_en] pci_device_remove+0x39/0xc0 device_release_driver_internal+0xa5/0x130 driver_detach+0x42/0x90 bus_remove_driver+0x61/0xc0 pci_unregister_driver+0x38/0x90 bnxt_exit+0xc/0x7d0 [bnxt_en]

Weakness: CWE-667

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-39769?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2025-39769?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2025-39769 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-39769 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-39769, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-39769, GHSA-pf8w-93qv-jm8p, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-39769.