---
id: CVE-2026-63997
title: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  ethtool: module: avoid leaking a netdev ref on module flash errors

  module_flash_fw_schedule() is missing undo for setting
  the "in_progress" flag and taking the netdev …
summary: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  ethtool: module: avoid leaking a netdev ref on module flash errors

  module_flash_fw_schedule() is missing undo for setting
  the "in_progress" flag and taking the netdev …
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-401
vendor: linux
product: linux_kernel
affected:
  - 'linux_kernel >= 6.11, < 6.12.93'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 6.13, < 6.18.35'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 6.19, < 7.0.12'
  - linux_kernel = 7.1
patched:
  - linux_kernel 7.0.12
published: '2026-07-19'
updated: '2026-10-13'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-13T14:39:53.820'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63997'
references:
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/61848c83b9132ab839809fe415ba7802a0aca4f6'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/956b134d917fd7e014dc7e39a9b7610c04fcc9ba'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f7b4513e77f9571dc1041a798b93b5c4a4bfc191'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb7f511d62692661846c47f199e0afe25c2982db'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00168
epssPercentile: 0.05624
ingestedAt: '2026-10-13T15:33:40.019Z'
---

## Overview

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

ethtool: module: avoid leaking a netdev ref on module flash errors

module_flash_fw_schedule() is missing undo for setting
the "in_progress" flag and taking the netdev reference.
Delay taking these, the device can't disappear while
we are holding rtnl_lock.

## Affected

- `linux_kernel >= 6.11, < 6.12.93`
- `linux_kernel >= 6.13, < 6.18.35`
- `linux_kernel >= 6.19, < 7.0.12`
- `linux_kernel = 7.1`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `linux_kernel 7.0.12`