# CVE-2026-97571: bnxt_en: Propagate TPA buffer allocation failures in bnxt_queue_mem_alloc()

> A missing error check in the bnxt_en network driver can lead to a null pointer dereference and system crash when TPA buffer allocation fails.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-97571, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97571, GHSA-5rwh-p838-cqxj, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97571

## What is CVE-2026-97571?

CVE-2026-97571 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 2026. 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: Propagate TPA buffer allocation failures in bnxt_queue_mem_alloc()

bnxt_alloc_one_tpa_info_data() returns -ENOMEM as soon as one allocation
fails. This leaves the remaining rxr->rx_tpa[] entries zeroed.

bnxt_queue_mem_alloc() discards that return value, so the partially
initialized ring is installed by bnxt_queue_start().

Since the agg_id is picked by the hardware and bnxt_alloc_agg_idx maps
it to a SW index in rxr->rx_tpa[], it is possible that an uninitialized
slot can be chosen which would hand a zero DMA address to the device.

Fix this by checking the return value of bnxt_alloc_one_tpa_info_data
and unwinding, freeing the ring buffers.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97571?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97571?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-97571 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97571 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97571 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97571 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 2026. 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-2026-97571 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-97571/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97571/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97571
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97571
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97571

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97571/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.