Executive brief
The Linux kernel's bnx2x network driver contains a memory leak in its initialization code for the Broadcom NetXtreme II network adapter hardware. When memory allocation fails during driver startup, previously allocated structures are not properly freed, causing memory waste that could accumulate if drivers are repeatedly loaded/unloaded.
Technical details
The vulnerability is a memory leak in the bnx2x_alloc_mem_bp() function in the Broadcom bnx2x ethernet driver. The issue occurs when allocation of fp[i].tpa_info fails in the loop; the earlier-allocated bnx2x_fastpath structure is not linked to the bp (board) structure at that point, so the error handler cannot free it. The fix moves the assignment of bp->fp immediately after the initial fastpath allocation, ensuring the structure is linked to bp before any subsequent allocations that might fail. This is a local issue affecting driver initialization; no network vector or user interaction required. The vulnerability was introduced in commit 15192a8cf8a8 and patched in commit a986fde914d88af47eb78fd29c5d1af7952c3500.
Affected products
- Linux Linux kernel Versions with commit 15192a8cf8a8 through before commit a986fde914d88af47eb78fd29c5d1af7952c3500 (multiple stable branches)
Timeline
- 2026-08-15: disclosed
- 2026-06-20: patched