CVE-2026-53231

net: phy: don't try to setup PHY-driven SFP cages when using genphy

Published Jun 25, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: phy: don't try to setup PHY-driven SFP cages when using genphy

We don't have support for PHY-driver SFP cages with the genphy code.

On top of that, it was found by sashiko that running
sfp_bus_add_upstream() for genphy deadlocks, as for genphy the PHY
probing runs under RTNL, which isn't the case for non-genphy drivers.

This problem was reproduced, and does lead to a deadlock on RTNL.

Before the blamed commit, the phy_sfp_probe() call was made by
individual PHY drivers, so there was no way to get to the SFP probing
path when using genphy.

Let's therefore only run phy_sfp_probe when not using genphy.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8727-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8760-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-3 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8800-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA BaseOS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8760-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-4 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-3 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-758
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: don't try to setup PHY-driven SFP cages when using genphy We don't have support for PHY-driver SFP cages with the genphy code. On top of that, it was found by sashiko that running sfp_bus_add_upstream() for genphy deadlocks, as for genphy the PHY probing runs under RTNL, which isn't the case for non-genphy drivers. This problem was reproduced, and does lead to a deadlock on RTNL. Before the blamed commit, the phy_sfp_probe() call was made by individual PHY drivers, so there was no way to get to the SFP probing path when using genphy. Let's therefore only run phy_sfp_probe when not using genphy.
Title net: phy: don't try to setup PHY-driven SFP cages when using genphy
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Jun 25, 2026, 8:39 AM
Reserved
Jun 9, 2026, 7:44 AM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Jun 25, 2026, 9:16 AM
Modified
Jul 2, 2026, 8:44 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Jun 25, 2026, 12:00 AM