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

> 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.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-39769, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-39769, GHSA-pf8w-93qv-jm8p, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-39769

## 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 (Improper Locking)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-39769?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 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.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-39769 and fix it if it is affected.

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

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39769/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39769/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-39769
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-39769
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-39769

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39769/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
