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Response snapshot Oct 30, 2026, 21:21 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-74269

Linux kernel: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow The xdp.py test test_xdp_native_adjst_head_grow_data crashes when run on a bnxt machine (and also crashes in NIPA).

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
9.8 Critical (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
0.7% in the next 30 days
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2026-74269 (opens a new tab)

What happened

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

bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow

The xdp.py test test_xdp_native_adjst_head_grow_data crashes when run on a bnxt machine (and also crashes in NIPA).

It seems that the bug is an underflow in bnxt_rx_multi_page_skb, which builds the skb head:

Continue reading

napi_build_skb(data_ptr - bp->rx_offset, rxr->rx_page_size);

The problem with this expression is that in page mode, rx_offset is:

bp->rx_offset = NET_IP_ALIGN + XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM;

Which evaluates (at least on x86_64) to 258.

The test test_xdp_native_adjst_head_grow_data tests a case where the head is adjusted by -256.

When this test runs, data_ptr is shifted to frag_start + 2 (where frag_start = page_address(page) + offset).

Then, bnxt_rx_multi_page_skb is invoked and the napi_build_skb expression subtracts 258, landing at an address before frag_start. This could be either the previous fragment or the previous physical page when the offset is < 256 (e.g. if the fragment started at offset 0).

When the skb is freed, the page pool fragment reference is dropped on either the wrong page or the wrong frag of the right page. In either case, the corrupted reference count can lead to the page being prematurely recycled while still in use. Once (incorrectly) recycled, it can be handed out again and on driver teardown this would result in a double free.

The commit under fixes updated this code to handle the case where the native page size is >= 64k, but it unintentionally broke the head grow case.

To fix this, add an offset field to struct bnxt_sw_rx_bd, mirroring the existing offset field in struct bnxt_sw_rx_agg_bd. Populate it on allocation and preserve it on reuse.

In bnxt_rx_multi_page_skb, use the newly added offset field to compute the fragment start and pass that to napi_build_skb. Adjust the layout with skb_reserve.

There are two cases, the non-adjustment case and the adjustment case.

In both cases, the skb is built at page_address(page) + offset to account for the case where the native page size >= 64K and skb_reserve is called with data_ptr - (page_address(page) + offset). That difference equals bp->rx_offset when data_ptr was not moved, or bp->rx_offset + xdp_adjust when XDP adjusted the head.

Re-running the failing test with this commit applied causes the test to run successfully to completion.

The other rx_skb_func implementations don't have this issue.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

9.8

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

0.7%

Scored Percentile 52.0%

Model and measurement source (opens a new tab)

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2026-74269 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    FIRST measured EPSS score (opens a new tab)

    Measured EPSS probability and percentile for CVE-2026-74269, scored 2026-10-30. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 30). Linux kernel: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow (CVE-2026-74269). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-74269

MLA

"Linux kernel: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow (CVE-2026-74269)." KEVWire, 30 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-74269.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Linux kernel: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow (CVE-2026-74269)." Last modified October 30, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-74269.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Linux kernel: bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow (Aug 15, 2026).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bnxt: fix head underflow on XDP head-grow

The xdp.py test test_xdp_native_adjst_head_grow_data crashes when run on
a bnxt machine (and also crashes in NIPA).

It seems that the bug is an underflow in bnxt_rx_multi_page_skb, which
builds the skb head:

  napi_build_skb(data_ptr - bp->rx_offset, rxr->rx_page_size);

The problem with this expression is that in page mode, rx_offset is:

  bp->rx_offset = NET_IP_ALIGN + XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM;

Which evaluates (at least on x86_64) to 258.
CVSS 9.8 (version 3.1; evidence as of Oct 30, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74269).
EPSS 0.7% for the following 30 days, scored Oct 30, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-74269&date=2026-10-30).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2026-74269: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74269
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T13:06:45.042Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T14:50:57.069Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T12:22:16.957Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T14:05:57.373Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T11:45:59.009Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T13:20:57.281Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
FIRST measured EPSS score: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-74269&date=2026-10-30
Record ID: CVE-2026-74269.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 30, 2026, 21:01 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Received. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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