---
id: CVE-2026-89582
title: >-
  kernel: bnx2x: fix double free in bnx2x_init_firmware() error path
  (CVE-2026-89582)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the `bnx2x` component of the Linux kernel. This flaw
  occurs due to a double free vulnerability within the `bnx2x_init_firmware()`
  function's error handling path. Memory pointers are freed without being set to
  NULL, allo…
severity: high
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-1341
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 7
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-11'
updated: '2026-09-18'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-18T17:53:19+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89582.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89582.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-89582'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2532281'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89582'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89582'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-89582.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d36e38e48340a1ccf92a98c7a22d07a954e5aa3'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a142c024f07d623e2b6b25943f6c36d4b6b0b4c6'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d2796ffe38cb4155afe0eab23636295b096c27a5'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc98e727b9cfc5e19c796bf893878153f00b222b'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/770715784b689749014ce193ef986b706fe8f51c'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c44e5d6c3189241d5f791bc7b1eddde6b92f802c'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/07d4516e3eb1fcde4a5db29eb556cdb0ebba6265'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac280f6872e75df49f3004505bcddff91d9e5362'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00177
epssPercentile: 0.06448
ingestedAt: '2026-09-14T15:23:07.451Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the `bnx2x` component of the Linux kernel. This flaw occurs due to a double free vulnerability within the `bnx2x_init_firmware()` function's error handling path. Memory pointers are freed without being set to NULL, allowing the `bnx2x_release_firmware()` cleanup function to attempt freeing the same memory a second time. This issue could lead to system instability, a denial of service (DoS), or potentially arbitrary code execution.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, … · updated 2026-09-18 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89582.json)

**kernel: bnx2x: fix double free in bnx2x_init_firmware() error path** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-11, updated 2026-09-18.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

## Remediation

Affected