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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-23368

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: register phy led_triggers during probe to avoid AB-BA deadlock There is an AB-BA deadlock…

Published Mar 25, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux kernel

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-23368. EPSS is 0.10%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
Medium5.5
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.10%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
cpe linux/linux kernel

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: register phy led_triggers during probe to avoid AB-BA deadlock There is an AB-BA deadlock when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled: [ 1362.049207] [ ] led_trigger_register+0x5c/0x1fc ] phy_led_triggers_register+0xd0/0x234 [ 1362.060329] [ ] phy_attach_direct+0x33c/0x40c [ 1362.065489] [ ] phylink_fwnode_phy_connect+0x15c/0x23c [ 1362.071480] [ ] mtk_open+0x7c/0xba0 [ 1362.075849] [ ] __dev_open+0x280/0x2b0 [ 1362.080384] [ ] __dev_change_flags+0x244/0x24c [ 1362.085598] [ ] dev_change_flags+0x28/0x78 [ 1362.090528] [ ] dev_ioctl+0x4c0/0x654 ] sock_ioctl+0x2f4/0x4e0 [ 1362.099567] [ ] sys_ioctl+0x32c/0xd8c [ 1362.104022] [ ] syscall_common+0x34/0x58 Here LED_TRIGGER_PHY is registering LED triggers during phy_attach while holding RTNL and then taking triggers_list_lock. [ 1362.191101] [ ] register_netdevice_notifier+0x60/0x168 ] netdev_trig_activate+0x194/0x1e4 [ 1362.202490] [ ] led_trigger_set+0x1d4/0x360 ] led_trigger_write+0xd8/0x14c [ 1362.212566] [ ] sysfs_kf_bin_write+0x80/0xbc [ 1362.217688] [ ] kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x17c/0x28c [ 1362.223174] [ ] vfs_write+0x21c/0x3c4 [ 1362.227712] [ ] ksys_write+0x78/0x12c [ 1362.232164] [ ] syscall_common+0x34/0x58 Here LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV is being enabled on an LED. It first takes triggers_list_lock and then RTNL. A classical AB-BA deadlock. phy_led_triggers_registers() does not require the RTNL, it does not make any calls into the network stack which require protection. There is also no requirement the PHY has been attached to a MAC, the triggers only make use of phydev state. This allows the call to phy_led_triggers_registers() to be placed elsewhere. PHY probe() and release() don't hold RTNL, so solving the AB-BA deadlock.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe linux/linux kernel4.16

How to fix CVE-2026-23368

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-23368. EPSS is 0.10%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with linux/linux kernel 4.16. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-667. EPSS 0.10%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Mar 25, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: register phy led_triggers during probe to avoid AB-BA deadlock There is an AB-BA deadlock when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled: [ 1362.049207] [ ] led_trigger_register+0x5c/0x1fc ] phy_led_triggers_register+0xd0/0x234 [ 1362.060329] [ ] phy_attach_direct+0x33c/0x40c [ 1362.065489] [ ] phylink_fwn

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: register phy led_triggers during probe to avoid AB-BA deadlock There is an AB-BA deadlock when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled: [ 1362.049207] [ ] led_trigger_register+0x5c/0x1fc ] phy_led_triggers_register+0xd0/0x234 [ 1362.060329] [ ] phy_attach_direct+0x33c/0x40c [ 1362.065489] [ ] phylink_fwn

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-23368

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-23368

    30-day exploitation probability 0.1%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-23368

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: register phy led_triggers during probe to avoid AB-BA deadlock There is an AB-BA deadlock when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled: [ 1362.049207] [ ] led_trigger_regist

    nvd.nist.gov

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.