# CVE-2026-98594: tg3: clean up PHYLIB resources on probe failure

> A resource leak in the tg3 network driver can lead to denial of service if device initialization fails, requiring kernel patching.

- **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:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-109211, BELL-CVE-2026-98594, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98594, GHSA-2vwq-f5h6-r9rw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98594

## What is CVE-2026-98594?

CVE-2026-98594 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 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:

tg3: clean up PHYLIB resources on probe failure

tg3_get_invariants() can register an MDIO bus and connect a PHY for
USE_PHYLIB devices. If tg3_init_one() later fails, its common error path
releases the mappings and netdev without undoing those PHYLIB resources.

Disconnect the PHY and unregister the MDIO bus before the remaining
teardown. Guard PHY cleanup with USE_PHYLIB to match tg3_phy_init(), and
call tg3_mdio_fini() unconditionally to match tg3_mdio_init(). The existing
IS_CONNECTED and MDIOBUS_INITED flags make both helpers safe when
initialization only completed partially.

This issue was identified during our ongoing static-analysis research while
reviewing kernel code.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98594?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98594?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98594 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98594 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98594 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98594 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 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-2026-98594 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-2026-98594/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98594/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98594
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98594
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98594

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98594/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.