---
id: CVE-2026-98795
title: 'kernel: net: sparx5: skip ptp deinit if init was skipped (CVE-2026-98795)'
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Microchip Sparx5 network driver. When
  operating on devices where Precision Time Protocol (PTP) initialization is
  skipped, the driver does not check if PTP was initialized before executing its
  deinitia…
severity: medium
cvss: 4.4
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-476
vendor: Red Hat
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= 0933bd04047c3b96ba49545a8f91e7e6f8f666ff <
    35c706d6eb1963735814c5f5bb2674a96eacf3cc
  - >-
    Linux >= 0933bd04047c3b96ba49545a8f91e7e6f8f666ff <
    2879b65bfa548e10d59c5fba91d17f8a00cd7029
  - >-
    Linux >= 0933bd04047c3b96ba49545a8f91e7e6f8f666ff <
    0d2c49915bc3aea4521cda5e4d42f24f63b94585
  - Linux 5.18
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-23'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-23T15:23:04+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98795.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98795.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98795'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2555166'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98795'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98795'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98795.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35c706d6eb1963735814c5f5bb2674a96eacf3cc'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2879b65bfa548e10d59c5fba91d17f8a00cd7029'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d2c49915bc3aea4521cda5e4d42f24f63b94585'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00166
epssPercentile: 0.05776
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T16:47:32.484Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Microchip Sparx5 network driver. When operating on devices where Precision Time Protocol (PTP) initialization is skipped, the driver does not check if PTP was initialized before executing its deinitialization routines. A local privileged user could trigger this vulnerability by unbinding the driver or removing the device, resulting in a NULL pointer dereference, kernel crash, and Denial of Service (DoS).

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · updated 2026-10-23 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98795.json)

**kernel: net: sparx5: skip ptp deinit if init was skipped** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-23.

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Refer to the advisory for fix availability.